Bute-Andrade II: Round by Round NOW!!!!

There was no media event plan for Wednesday.

Today (thursday) there is a press conference. So I'm guessing we'll have more details. Either today or tomorrow at the weight in.

 

My bad. I thought the press conference was going to be on thursday.

 

Video of the press conference.
http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/PlusSports/2009/11/25/002-bute-mercredi.shtml#

 

I don't remember exactly. But I think for the first fight they agreed on Reyes gloves. The promoter of the event, Interbox, were to provide those gloves.

Interbox showed up at the weight in with brand new Reyes gloves. Problem is, GBP and Andrade showed up with different model of Reyes gloves and wanted to use those. GBP also didn't bring enough gloves so that Andrade and Bute could wear them (They need 6 pairs of gloves according to the regulation). Interbox wasn't willing to let the two fighters fight with two different types of gloves. GBP and Andrade threaten not to fight if they couldn't use their gloves.

The debate was still raging minutes before the fighters finally walked into the ring for their fight.

 

Article:


Mikkel Kessler’s loss to Andre Ward has, for all intent and purposes, elevated Lucian Bute to the status of the world’s best super middleweight. A valid perception that Bute can reinforce by defeating Librado Andrade, The Ring magazine’s number five rated super middleweight, Saturday night on HBO. Sure, there can be some argument that Ward should replace Kessler at the top of the ratings, but only if the pair’s overall level of competition, experience, consistency, and title defenses are taken out of the equation. Unfortunately, because Bute is not part of Showtime’s ‘Super-Six’ tourney, fans will have to wait to 2011 for Bute and Ward to find out who is better inside the four ropes.

The Bute versus Ward debate is for another place and time, and Lucian Bute had better focus on a determined Librado Andrade for the argument to even matter. As accomplished as Bute is, the memory most American fans have of him is his reeling against the ropes from a straight right hand by Andrade in the twelfth round of their last meeting. Bute was in desperate need of the final bell, which rescued the champions and his IBF title. Sadly for Bute, that image is what has stuck in the minds of many boxing fans instead of his dominance over Andrade the previous eleven rounds. Why Bute nearly lost that fight was laudable. The 29 year-old was in complete control, but gambled by going for a knockout of his iron-chinned opponent. By doing so Bute gave Andrade openings, and depleted his reserves of energy as well. Then Bute was caught coming in, and nearly kayoed for his willingness to please.

That final round was many observers round of the year for 2008, for it’s drama, action, and also controversy. Some, including Showtime analyst Steve Farhood who was ringside, believe Bute’s win was aided by a long count and inept officiating on the part of referee Marlon Wright. Farhood’s immediate opinion was shaped by an on-air interview of the referee, who stated that without his interruption of the count Bute would not have beaten the count. The contentious phase happened with five seconds remaining when Bute was knocked down (he could not have been saved by the bell), but the referee gave Bute valuable time to recover by admonishing Andrade to return to his corner. Despite Andrade not appearing to have ventured away from the neutral corner. It was a farcical ending to an otherwise routine title defense. Let’s hope the action and drama starts earlier in the duo’s rematch.

For the record, I do not believe the referee’s actions, although confused and overly dictatorial, were a deciding factor in the outcome. Bute looked in control of his senses, and was up before the referee would have reached the count of ten without turning to tell Andrade to return to the neutral corner. Because Bute was floored with five seconds left, no further punches could have been thrown and Andrade could not have followed up on his obvious advantage. Bute is un-fazed by the controversy “I just got so tired in that last round. A 126-pounder could have knocked me out I was so tired. I learned from that experience. When I went down there were four seconds left in the fight so all I needed to do was stand up. There were eight seconds when I got to one leg. Whether the ref told Andrade to go back to his corner or not, it’s irrelevant because with just four seconds left in the fight I knew he couldn’t hit me anymore.”

The super-middleweight division has been dominated by Europeans for nearly two decades now. The exceptions are Andre Ward and another one time American Olympian Jeff Lacy. Before that duo you have to reach back to the near prime James Toney and Roy Jones Jr. to find championship caliber American’s. If Andrade were to beat Bute, he would become the first Mexican to win a title at the weight. Eastern Europe is throwing a wild card into the game with Romanian born, but Canada based, Lucian Bute. There is much to like about Bute, an aggressive southpaw with an impressive 79% kayo ratio. The intelligent pressure fighter has been on American TV three times now. First featured in a title winning knock out Alejandro Berrio on ESPN2, followed by title defenses against Andrade and Fulgencio Zuniga on Showtime. As a whole the super middleweight division is in the process of staging a series of elimination bouts to find a replacement for Hall of Fame bound Joe Calzaghe.

Bute quickly established himself as a fan favorite in Canada, moving up in scale through the three main Montreal arenas selling out each venue. An affable personality and charity work aided his ticket selling prowess, and Bute endeared himself to Montreal natives by learning French. But mostly, as with all fighters, fans seem to be drawn to a boxer because he scores knockouts. Canadian fans are already convinced that Bute is the goods, and only Montreal Canadiens hockey playoff games receive a higher viewership on television. Will America follow suit? Much depends on the outcome of tonight’s bout, but Showtime boxing analyst and former Ring magazine editor Steve Farhood is suitably impressed. “He is among the most sound, technically proficient fighters in the game. Although he doesn’t have a flashy style or early-round knockout power, he is refreshing to watch because he’s never off-balance. He doesn’t fall in after punching, and he fights with calm and poise.”

Like many fighters from the former Soviet Bloc, this ardent student of boxing has a solid amateur background. However, his amateur pedigree is by no means overwhelming when compared to other boxers from Eastern Europe who have graduated to professional titles. Apart from winning a bronze medal at the 1999 amateur world championships Bute did not excel in the major tourneys he entered. He was competitive, but failed to get into the medal rounds of competitions or make it into Olympics. Obviously, his pressing style, which slowly overtakes and envelops foes, is more suited for fights that extend past four rounds. What I like most about Bute is that he picks his shots wisely. He rarely lunges or overextends himself to land a looping punch on a retreating opponent, aware that his style and wit will afford more opportunities as the rounds progress.

Bute saw Canada as an option to launch his pro career after observing the success of fellow Romanian boxer Leonard Dorin, a WBA lightweight champion who emigrated to Canada in 1998 after winning the bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics. Bute was scouted by Canada’s Interbox promotions when he won the gold medal at the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa, and did well in impromptu sparring sessions with former super middleweight world titlist Eric Lucas. Bute decided to follow in the footsteps of Dorin and signed with Interbox. Arriving in Montreal early 2003, at the age of 23, in just under five years Bute repaid Interbox’s investment by battling his way to a world title. In only his ninth bout Bute defeated faded, but still sly, former world titlist Dingaan Thobela, and has handled a wide variety of styles and body types thrown at him with aplomb. He has done so with Dorin’s former trainer Stéphane Larouche, who guided the previously mentioned Lucas to a world title as well.

HBO is wise to showcase Bute in a fight from Quebec’s Pepsi Coliseum, where a sell-out crowd of 16,000 rabid fans is sure to impart a crackling good atmosphere. This is Bute’s first appearance on HBO, after stops at ESPN2 and Showtime, but this move seems oddly timed given what Showtime is doing with their super middleweight tourney. One possible opponent this pairing could deliver is fellow HBO product Kelly Pavlik. If, or when, Pavlik decides to move up in weight he will need someone of Bute’s profile since all the other 168 pounders are contractually tied up in the Super-Six tourney. Or perhaps if Bute can make the weight sensibly, a move up of his own to 175 pounds would be advisable. There he can challenge current WBC champion Jean Pascal (another Canadian fan favorite), which could break box office records for Montreal and possibly all of Canada. Or perhaps even HBO tied Chad Dawson, who is equally bereft of qualified dance partners at this time.

The matchmaking and storyline for the Bute – Andrade bout is of such quality that it does not need the, often fallacious, “bad blood” hype. Even given their controversial history the duo is appreciative of the other’s talents, and in the promotional events for the bout they have traded smiles and compliments instead of harsh words. That all changes for 36 minutes after the opening bell, when the only thing being exchanged will be punches. Voluminous ones from Andrade, which will be greeted by thoughtful counters and pressing actions from Bute. If Bute stays at 168 pounds, the pressure is on for him to perform and look good in order to compete with the fighters in Showtime’s well received ‘Super-Six’ tourney. Since those boxers have a foot up on Bute by fighting in significant bouts every time out.

The ramifications of the Andrade fight are immense for Bute, which makes this is a very significant fight for him. Even more so if Bute were to lose. HBO is not likely to invite Bute back given the lack of marquee matchups for him without a title, and Showtime is not going to use Bute even if Jermain Taylor were to retire and leave their tourney. That spot has all but been given to Allan Green. Of course Bute would still be an attraction in Canada. However, his earning potential as a former champion would drop significantly for prestigious bouts against Jean Pascal or Adrian Diaconu. So the pressure is on Bute Saturday night, and if Bute were to fail he would be left out in the Canadian cold.