Today's fight between Lucian Bute and Jean Paul Mendy went more or less as expected, with Bute largely controlling the action through three rounds before scoring a highlight reel knockout in the fourth.

Bute (29-0, 24 KO) had already hurt Mendy (29-1-1, 16 KO) a couple of times in the fight, but an overhand, chopping left in the fourth round sent Mendy face-first to the canvas, where he was counted out. Bute never even really needed to go to the body, his trademark in past knockout wins.

There isn't really a whole lot more to say about this fight, because Mendy was never considered by anyone but the IBF to be a deserving title challenger, and he only got here with a first round DQ win, anyway. Sakio Bika had been way too much for him over a couple of minutes, and Bute more or less cruised through this one, with Mendy landing maybe a handful of significant punches. It felt from the get-go like a fight Bute could win as soon as he felt like it and/or found a perfect opening, and he got the latter when Mendy came in aggressively and left himself wide open for a big shot.

It is believed that Kelly Pavlik will be next for Bute in November, provided Pavlik gets past Darryl Cunningham on August 6 in Youngstown. The former middleweight champ would be Bute's most notable/famous opponent to date, and is at least close to the sort of step up many desire to see Bute take.

Undercard Results

Junior welterweight prospect Pier Olivier Cote (17-0, 11 KO) stayed unbeaten with an eight-round decision win over Pedro Navarrete, a tough veteran who has only been stopped once in 12 career losses. Cote won on odd scores of 80-71, 80-73 and 80-75. Super middleweight veteran Renan St Juste also made the trip from Canada, and defeated Jaudiel Zepeda to improve to 23-2-1 (15 KO). St Juste has attempted to make a lucrative career of being a "Comeback Opponent" this year, but fights with Pavlik and Mikkel Kessler fell through. And Romanian featherweight prospect Viorel Simion (14-0, 6 KO) scored a ninth round knockout of Filipino Jun Talape.