Lucian Bute in the 12th shows us why he's an elite fighter.

Bull****.
Bute and his corner knew the fight was close,and knew he had to look good in the last round.
If he was/is elite what the **** was he doing for the other 11 rounds ?

 

Hi Puga

 

what were the scorecards btw?

 

He looked good because Grachev was getting desperate was throwing shots from out of range.

 

Hahahahahahahha

 

Most had 114-113 for Bute going into the last round.

 

His vulnerabilities are bigger than his strong points to, and quite hard to protect them.

 

116-113 you mean.

 

It makes him a good competitor but not an elite boxer. He really responded when his corner told him "the next 3 minutes are the most important of your career" and Teddy Atlas wasn't ever in his corner!

Bute showed heart and guts, but he is still a dead man walking with either Froch or Ward.

 

It was a disappointing performance based on the very average quality of opposition. He should have toyed with a guy like that but he was gun shy in there. Even in the 12th, the combos (3-4 + shots at a time) never really came out.

 

I agree, beautiful work. Very strange performance overall though. There were times when he'd hesitate, but then other times he'd fight fire with fire against the ropes. He'd load up on power shots but then box slick in other moments. Almost as if he was working on things and never really committed to establishing his game, he fought Grachev's fight too often. When his trainer told him to be more aggressive in the mid rounds he did nothing, didn't really follow instructions at all, but then comes out and shows that he did have it in him in the 12th. :huh Bizarre fight.