All the excuses we heard from the JC fans are also good for Bute. The less experience fighter took longer to adjust to Bika strange and nasty style. Once he did there was nothing left Bika could do, he was one or two rounds shy of knocking him out and not much reached him by the end. The fact that he did adjust is a sign he can go far.
at the moron who thought he was being dominated at the beginning of the fight. He lost 2 clear rounds, and even in those he was never hurt. It maybe looked like he was getting his ass kicked to the very untrained eye but a real boxing fan can tell that he was getting in good punches to the body and was never in danger.
Is was still put out of is game in the biggening of the fight. Even while he was the only one hitting with meaningfull punchs, yes the hooks to the body, he was unprecise with with other shots and did not hold the center of the ring. He clearly lost round two and three. What some see as poor defence and settling in to is style is aslo BS. He reacted poorly after the headbuts and Bika was very quick at releasing punchs afetr clinchs. When he started blocking the head with is shoulder and holding it when the got in a clinch Bika became armless and desperate. Great performance, learning experience and he proved alot. The only people who can diss Bute and this fight are intelectually dishonest JC fans who are afraid of comparison. They spent months telling everybody that Bika had a style that makes the other fighter look bad and that he had is place in the ring with the best boxer to ever live.
he looked slow how? he was fighting one of the dirtiest boxers who kept trying to headbutt him if you watched the fight. I think if Joe Calzaghe said that Bika was the toughest fight of his career, and Bute fought just as good a fight against Bika as JC if not better. That is pretty good for Bute dont you think? Lucian Bute would not mind fighting Calzaghe or Kessler or anyone else for that matter.
But honestly, does it really matter if Bute ends up not being good enough to beat the top3 of the division? I mean we're talking about some pretty damn good fighters here. Calzaghe, Kessler and Mundine are elite fighters. Not only the top of the 168lbs division but some of the best fighters in the world.There is nothing wrong in being a top5 at 168lbs. People are quick to label fighters as bums or overrated when they're not the absolute best in the division. That's wrong.
Bute does nothing for me either, he would give Mundine a good fight but he is not on the level of Kessler or Calzaghe. I was very excited for the Bika fight and came away unimpressed as I have in all of Bute's fights. Bute has good technique but is missing the foot work and hand speed of an elite level fighter.
"the top 3 guys"? Mundine? Joe is the undisputed nr.1 at present,and there is no doubt that Kessler is the undisputed nr.2 at supermiddle,but Mundine at nr.3? I for my part rank someone like Denis Inkin above the Aussie who was knocked out by Sven Ottke and had a close fight with that average journeyman Siaca who was totally schooled by 40 year old Branco. I am not even sure whether Mundine would be able to go the full route against Inkin. As for Bute vs Mundine he for sure has a decent chance to beat that Aussie.I would bet my money on him in a fight against Mundine.
Of course now that Mundine might never fight again. Bute could be considered like the no.3 at 168lbs. But I like to base ranking on accomplishment and not "potential". Therefor I dont even rank Bute in the top5 right now. Even tho he is my favorite fighter.
Champ: VACANT (winner of Calzaghe-Kessler goes here) 1. Joe Calzaghe 2. Mikkel Kessler 3. Anthony Mundine 4. Lucien Bute 5. Jeff Lacy 6. Alexjandro Berrio 7. Dennis Inkin 8. Carl Froch 9. Librado Andrade 10. Vitaly Tsypko/Jean Pascal/Jurgen Brahmer (one of em deserves to crack the top ten). Good division when you still have guys like Bika, Allan Green and Miranda (now that he's moving up) outside the top ten.
atsch Bute has a great chance at beating Mundine... But Mundine is clearly no. 3 at the moment. And KO's Inkin :deal
Put him in with Sakio Bika and Allan Green clearly OUTSIDE the top ten. You don't think otherwise, do you? :huh