It ain't up for debate Kessler stops him Hiding bute in Montreal of the years feeding him b class fightes never helped his mentality His career is very Joe ward esq Just not quite as good
Kessler. Bute was a skilful boxer puncher type but Kessler would be too strong for him down the stretch, I think it starts of competitive but Bute probably folds in the last 3rd. Elegant fighter tho, tall southpaw, could mix it up well to the body too, really enjoyable fighter to watch actually but reached a certain point & plateaued basically .. A Froch on probably his best night ever may have ruined him to an extent too imo.. Bute was still a fairly notable SMW talent, he had a decent career but sadly people overlook him now after the Froch fight. I still think stylistically he'd match up well to many SMWs of the past & give a decent account of himself. I remember many saw him as Calzaghes heir apparent but it didn't quite work out..
Bute seemed the real deal before the Froch fight..... the Cobra well and truly ruined him. He was never remotely the same again. As for how the fight goes, Kessler wins.
Lacy had major shoulder injuries on top of the beating he took from Joe which really limited him going forward. Bute was the more skilled and versatile guy yet Lacy before his shoulder injury was pretty deadly with the left hook. My money would be on the more versatile Bute against Lacy. Kessler was another level above both in my opinion.
Bute at times gets painfully underrated and the Bute from the 2nd Andrade fight gives most SMW's hell , but no version of Bute has anything for Kessler. Bute at his best was a much better fighter than the guy who gets rag-doll'd in every hypothetical he is in, but this one is just, Kessler pieces up any version of Bute.
As a reminder, Bute's team was in negotiation with Kessler's team in 2011, he even showed up for the Bute vs Magee fight in Montreal. After that fight negotiations fell through, so I don't think Kessler was that confident (not saying he was scared either, but if millions are not enough to fight someone everyone seems to think you would beat easily, you have to wonder). People love to **** on Bute but the fact is he always tried to get big fights. Hell, even a drunk Pavlik pulled out of a fight with Bute weeks or even days before the fight in November 2011 because 1.5 millions was apparently not enough money for him anymore. After the Super 6 he wanted Ward and Ward said no. He went to the UK to fight Froch to prove a point (which went horribly wrong for him) and even after having his confidence shattered to pieces he still tried to get the best fights he could. Degale and Jack fights were both fights he probably would've won pre-Froch too.
I was a big fan of both fighters I think Bute had his reputation really nose dive after Froch beat him around the ring and he looked completely gun shy vs Pascal I favor Kessler as a more proven commodity but I think Bute could give him issues