Bute to face Fulgencio Zuniga

What would be your preferences after an Andrade rematch? Taylor should have the WBC strap by then, but that will be a hard fight. Maybe a breather first? Perhaps Lacy as a gage? He still has ranking last I looked.

ESB as started their own 'interesting' rankings. AA over KP at middle?

But who on the list below do you think Bute should target, supposing wins over Zuniga and Andrade?

1. Mikkel Kessler
2. Jermain Taylor
3. Lucian Bute
4. Librado Andrade
4. Carl Froch
5. Sakio Bika
6. Edison Miranda
7. Andre Direll
8. Andre Ward
9. Anthony Mundine
10. Allen Green
11. Jean Paul Mendy
12. Vitaly Tsypko
13. Jeff Lacy
14. Jean Pascal
15. Lars Madson

 

Bika and Andrade are arguably top5-10 at 168lbs. Kinda hard to take a step forward unless you're fighting Kessler or Taylor. :rofl

 

I think Bute should target any decent american fighter if he can't get the big fights against Kessler or Taylor. He needs to get his name out there for the fans and tv network to demand the big fights.

The fight I'm hoping for after the Andrade rematch is Bute-Taylor. I think Bute as a better chance of winning that fight then against Kessler.

If not then I'd be fine with opponents like Pascal, Green, Ward, Dirrell, Miranda, etc... Basically anyone that could get him a US tv date.

 

Why is Zuniga messing around at 168? He isn't a very big guy. :huh

Bute should stop him late.

 

I dont see any hype about this fight.

 

Because he can't get fights at 160lbs.

He waited close to a year to get a shot at Abraham and it never happens.

Then he was offered a fight for the vacant 168lbs WBO and took it. (on short notice). Now he is fighting Bute for the IBF title.

 

I don't think Zuniga is a step back from Bika, but I'll give ya the other two. What I've tried to express on this thread is that Zuniga is a tough nut to crack, a live under dog, and a great opponent for a kid with 23 fights.

 

Actually he first ventured into 168 against Oganov, and won the IBO title. He pretty much had to make the move. Saurerland won't let him near Abraham, and Pavlik already beat him.

 

Like Maxime said, it's either a boxer that can give him US exposure, like Green, Miranda or Lacy (to compare with Taylor) or the other option would be to fight Balzsay to avenge the amateur lost that Bute suffer at the hands of the Hungarian...