Bute to fight Brian Magee on March 19th

Just did a bit more reading and the Bute-Magee event isn't that bad really. The fight is on St Patrick's Day. so makes it a natural when you have an Irishman involved and Magee is a Southpaw the first Bute has faced since Sergey Tatevosyan, so at least there is some interesting aspects added to the fight.

Then you have Steve Molitor making a defence of his title, even if it is a poor one. And you also have St Juste-Miranda which is a great fight. Personally I think this isn't that bad, one more good fight and it makes for a decent PPV Card.

At least Bute is staying busy. Hopefully he gets a major fight in the summer against Mikkel Kessler.

 

Wait so you hadn't forgotten about Taylor and actually think Brian Magee is a better win for Froch than Jermaine Taylor?

 

Maybe not generally speaking, but at 168... yes?!? Taylor had only decisioned Lacy, where as Magee TKO'ed Thysse and fought Reid & Tsypko before Froch.

Don't you agree that Taylor isn't much of a big win @ 168 either?

 

I think Dimitry Pirog would've made a great opponent. Pirog said he would've met Pavlik at 168, I think he would've for Bute too.

 

To be objective about it, two things... first, that's high risk as-low reward (compared to Magee) for Bute. Second, Pirog is sitting on a WBO belt he eventually will defend on HBO against an American MW name. Builds up his reputation from there. Or maybe these great things won't happen to the Russian, who knows. I just hope he doesn't waste his talent with inactivity, he's over 30 for **** sakes. Well, so is Bute... but Bute has legit chances to be in a unification bout in the next year or so, where as Pirog certainly doesn't. I think neither of the two wants this kind of business.

 

Pirog suffers from the same dilemma as Bute, he lacks any available opponents. There are no American MW's in the near future, least none willing if you include Manfredo or Guerro. It'd be a safe fight for Pirog as he'd keep his WBO title should he lose, and he's stated his desire to make the biggest fights possible, and lack of desire to face pointless mandatories.

Too bad, that would've been a great fight. Pirog is actually seasoned enough to handle the top level, and he's a big MW. As for Bute, all his fights lately are high risk-low reward. He gets no respect for beating guys like Brinkley and Magee, and if he were to be upset by them, it'd badly damage his career. Atleast if he lost to a guy like Pirog, Pirog has the ability to move forward and show it was no fluke - thus a worthy rematch.

 

See it's weird, I had Guerrero in mind for him. On HBO, after Guerrero wins a WBO eliminator. The Pirog-Guerrero fight would happen at the same time as Bute-Kessler/Dirrell late summer, fall 2011. Maybe I got it all wrong too.

I don't personally think we'll see Pirog at SMW before 2012 at the earliest.

 

After Guerrero's fight with Ishe Smith and Pirog's with Jaccobs, it's unlikely Guerrero's team would let that happen in 2011. He's young enough where they can afford to slow his progression until the right offer comes.

Not to hijack the thread from Bute, I also think it's too bad there's no interest in fighting Cloud. I don't think Bute would have to become a legit 175lb to easily win that fight and look like a hero in process. Cloud is pretty limited, and get's taken by the first major talent he crosses. I was suprised Danny Green didn't take the oppurtunity to fight Cloud.

There's just no buzz to the Magee fight, and it's double hurtfull because there was no buzz to the Brinkley fight. In fact the Miranda fight was originally viewed as a stay busy fight. It's all very reminiscent of Calzaghe's early career, which was very frustrating to watch.

 

Bute is letting romanian fans down with this level of opposition!!!

 

Big fight next summer guys... can only go uphill from there, in terms of opposition. I'd agree to say he wasted a full year of his prime fighting what was available, and a lame mando.

 

In Cloud's case, the absolute lowest he's ever fought at was 172. The guy's extremely muscular (only 5'10"). I doubt he has any desire to come down to 170, as I doubt Bute would ever agree to a catchweight fight above 170 before the world gets their answer on who the clear #1 SMW is.

Cloud is more limited than I thought. He took a LOT of shots from Zuniga, and never rocked him hard the way he was expected to. His hooks are powerful, but not fast enough to fool Bute. Bute would toy with him.

 

is this part of his so called mega deal with showtime

 

ANother brutalizing bout.. Can't wait for Ward vs. Bute

 

Yep. With Bute-Kessler/Dirrell for the 2nd one. Bute-Dirrell/Kessler for the 3rd one if anything, could be facing both this year.

One thing's for sure, he's guaranteed a fight vs S6 winner. Probably early 2012.

Moretti (Top Rank VP) talked abput Bute/S6 at a Montreal radio (CKAC) today. Said "Bute is clearly, clearly the best at SMW right now."

...before your Wardness starts to show, I have to say I don't agree with Moretti's statement at all.

 

Somewhat true, for me this is the last that I will make excuses for the guy. I actually wanted Bute to fight Magee after he beat Larsen, but that should have been a part of his 3 fight schedule which should have also included a high profile fight. Instead he only fights twice (the summer plan never works out) and this year was less productive then the previous three (!!) even though he is a (paper) 'champion'. After this he better fight a big name.

Like already mentioned, he should fight CLOUD...such an easy win vs a top LHW in a big fight.

Magee is not a bad fighter, but bottom line this won't be competitive, so it's disappointing.

I really like Miranda vs Renan St Juste, now that's good matchmaking.