Carl Froch Writes Off Lucian Bute Ahead of Andre Ward Clash
by Scott Christ on Nov 16, 2011 9:47 PM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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WBC super middleweight titlist Carl Froch is gearing up for his December 17 showdown with Andre Ward, a fight that will also have Ward's WBA belt and the Super Six World Boxing Classic trophy on the line. But without looking past Ward, whom Froch says he's taking "very, very seriously," the British star isn't much concerned about facing Lucian Bute after the tournament, should Froch win:
"The winner of this fight will be the WBC and WBA champion and they'll be talking about a fight with Lucian Bute but he's out of the equation really, he's not up there with the best in the world like me and Ward."
Bute is coming off of a very dull decision win on November 5 against Glen Johnson, a fight that really did the Romanian-Canadian no favors when all was said and done, as the two friends and former sparring partners fought like, well, friends who were sparring.
Still, Bute vs the winner of the Super Six has long been desired by boxing fans, and I just can't see the demand going away. Bute's win over Johnson and the Super Six final are still close enough together (they were originally scheduled to be back-to-back weekends) that the schedules should line up without any problem, and it's hard to imagine Showtime not trying very hard to make the fight.
Now this could all be a lot of bluster from Froch, who just recently said that he does want to fight Bute and pick up "the other title" after defeating Ward, but there will be a strong offer from Sauerland Event for Froch to rematch Mikkel Kessler, and I imagine that would be win or lose. Their idea to bring Froch vs Kessler II to Copenhagen is probably faulty (I can't imagine Carl conceding home field to Kessler after losing to him in Herning), but the fight itself could happen, and could be more attractive to Froch than a bout with Lucian Bute, which would likely have its own location issues.
And then there's Andre Ward, sitting over there in Oakland and just getting himself ready for December 17 while Froch works the press.
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Bute is the Povetkin of super-middle.
by Shitali Klitschko on Nov 16, 2011 11:07 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I agree with him. If Bute is so great, why is he wasting his time fighting talents like the great Mendy and over the hill Johnson?
Until Bute steps up, he’s irrelevant to me.
Mendy was a mandatory. Who could he have fought better than Johnson, who was top five or so at the weight going into that fight?
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by Scott Christ on Nov 16, 2011 11:37 PM EST up reply actions
good point, I do think Johnson was the best fight available to him if you don’t count kessler, but he had just come back from a lay off and going away to fight Bute was just something I doubt he considered. However I do think Bute has had it easy, yes Johnson was the best avaliable but the have been times before Bute has gone for weaker opposition when the big fights have been there.
If you look at Bute’s record the is no fights with Ward, Froch, Kessler, Robert Steiglitz, or Arthur Abarham. No Jermaine Taylor, Kelly Pavlik, Andre Dirrell, Allan Green
that is alot of names NOT to have on your list
Ward, Froch, Kessler, AA, Taylor, Dirrell, and Green have been tied up with the Super6 or recovering from injuries for most of the past 2 1/2 years, I can’t take the idea of anyone ducking either Green seriously. Pavlik either, recovering alcoholic who cancels every fight. Robert Steiglitz is the only person of the 9 fighters on your list who might have been available to fight, a possibility that was coopted by Mikkel Kessler’s interest in fighting him —remember there are travel issues there, much more convenient for two Euro fighters to stay on the continent. Maybe later. But not a duck by Bute. Very unreasonable statement imo.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
I wouldn’t make excuses for the guy till he fights at least one super six participant. At least a Kessler or a Stieglitz instead of showcases in Montreal.
What excuses? Those are facts. Name one fighter who matters in that division that he actually could have fought, and you get Robert Stieglitz, whom he was willing to fight—the Kessler option got in the way, nothing against any of them
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
He would beat Stieglitz fairly easily anyway, hes pretty much a non-factor in the division IMO.
Would like to see Dirrell vs. Bute.
by Shitali Klitschko on Nov 17, 2011 3:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Why did Bute not get involved in the super six. He was already IBF champion for 2 years and surely knew his potential opponents would be limited due to the competition, I’m sure if he threw his hat into the ring they wouldn’t have turned away a recognised world champion but instead of fighting the best he took the easy way out knowing his opponents would be limited for at least two years.
And tbh you say that they have been tied up with the super six but some of the fighters only fought twice, and the were big gaps in the schedule where Ward and Abraham both got in non tournament fights so I don’t really buy that they couldn’t have fought Bute.
This isn’t trying to take a shot at Bute because I think he isn’t a bad boxer and you a right about Kelly Pavlik, I was simply pointing out he hasn’t faced him not necessarily he is to blame. I just wanted to make a clear note that the are alot of guys he hasn’t faced and until he gets in the ring with at least 3 of these men (ward, froch and Kessler) he will never be a legitimate champion in my eyes
the gaps in which Ward and Abraham fought non-S6 fighters were carefully controlled by Showtime, which took no risks. They weren’t about to let any S6 fighters in a ring with Bute, or Steiglitz for that matter. Those were considered no/low risk fights for Ward and AA, or Sho wouldn’t have permitted them. Those guys were not free agents during the tournement.
Remember the whole tournement was supposed to be over decades ago. Bute had know way of knowing it would drag on so long, and makes buckets of money in Montreal. He stood to lose bigtime financially, assuming the timeline were to have been accurate. Which it certainly wasn’t, but that’s hindsight.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
As usual, Bute by decision
…if its in Montreal (as usual)
Bute wins by KO 80% of the time
won 30 (KO 24) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 0 = 30
rounds boxed 193 KO% 80—boxrec
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
Are we still listening to what Froch says?
Come on, the guy is just trying to talk himself into big fights / big purses. He’s taking a page out of the David Haye book.
This is the sort of comment that can be made to prepare a fight with either Kessler or Bute, Froch is just trying to sell himself. If he weren’t in the Super Six final people wouldn’t even take notice of what he’s saying, he is simply using his period of exposure to get himself in the news.
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