Lucian Bute could head back to Showtime for a three-fight deal

by Scott Christ on Nov 3, 2010 1:30 PM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

The next time you see Lucian Bute, it could be on Showtime.

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com is reporting a very interesting development in the super middleweight division, as Lucian Bute is negotiating with Showtime for a three-fight deal with the network.

Bute (27-0, 22 KO) had his break on U.S. TV thanks to Showtime, but moved to HBO for his rematch with Librado Andrade in November 2009. Earlier this year they paired his mediocre fight with Edison Miranda with the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Martinez fight, clearly hoping that after, they could pair up Pavlik and Bute for a major fight at 168 pounds. Pavlik lost, however, and with Showtime's Super Six still occupying most of the top super middleweights in the sport, Bute was low on possible opponents. He made a mandatory defense against Jesse Brinkley on October 15, but HBO declined to buy that fight, with ESPN3.com airing it in the United States instead.

Since Showtime has become the home for the 168-pound division, it frankly just makes sense that Bute would want to go back there. Even with the collapse of the Super Six (which is sputtering to its finish starting on Saturday), they have shown real commitment to airing fights with the division's top stars, and it has become essentially the flagship weight class of the network. Were Bute to stay with HBO, his greatest hope would be to either get one of the tournament castoffs into a fight there, or pray that HBO would take whatever mid-level fights await him in the short term. Showtime, on the other hand, is more likely to air those mid-level fights in order to build to major fights against the likes of Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, Mikkel Kessler, etc. The only idea HBO has so far is still matching Bute with Kelly Pavlik, and given that Pavlik bails on two out of three scheduled fights these days, he's not someone I'd want to rely on for my next money date.

Bute is scheduled to fight in March in Montreal, says InterBox president Jean Bedard. Will it be on Showtime? Right now, it would appear that's the case. Bedard is making it clear that he and Bute are looking to fight the best in the world, and when it comes to the super middleweight division, they all fight on Showtime.

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Posted this under the fanshots a few hours ago, and I definitley found this to be an interesting move by Bute. It would"ve been great if these talks came along before half the fighters of the Super Six dropping out.

by dgonzalez305 on Nov 3, 2010 1:34 PM EDT reply actions

In spite of the falling of the Six, this sounds like really good news to me, and good business for Showtime. If only HBO and many other things hadn’t kept Bute out of the Six in the first place, but no matter, some good fights can be made now. (At least when the IBF isn’t making mandatories out of the full casts of The Contender seasons 1-3.)

by El Destruyo on Nov 3, 2010 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

Sounds smart

by Don From Prov on Nov 3, 2010 2:54 PM EDT reply actions

Just a guess

I suspect he fights his mandatory Mendy in March, then his next fight comes against Dirrell or Kessler, one of whom should be healthy by then, and both of whom are still contractually obligated to fight on Showtime.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Nov 3, 2010 6:43 PM EDT reply actions

No Mendy

No your wrong his next oponent will not be Mendy ,Interbox said Mendy didnt deserves to fight Bute because he got ko’ed by Bika, IBF rules says he has 9 months to fight his mandatory from october to march are only 5 months,he will fight Mendy possible in summer 2011 or maybe not if he gets enough money to withdraw from the match or IBF puts him on another Eliminator match

by man'10 on Nov 3, 2010 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions

So who do you expect he’ll fight in March?

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Nov 3, 2010 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

no talks about any opponent

sincerely i dont know, but I guess someone wanted by Showtime ,to bad Stieglitz turned him down twice maybe the 3rd time he will accept ,i hope someone proved competitive or with a belt, I dont know if in march will be a left over from super six or does Mikkel Kessler recovers? I would like a fight with Jean Pascal but he will be busy with the rematch to Dawson,who knows maybe a young prospect like those from south africa that are fighting for the IBO belt on november 6 Thomas Ooisthuzen vs. Isaac Chilemba

by man'10 on Nov 3, 2010 8:35 PM EDT up reply actions