Pascal vs. Bute plus a little on Dawson.

I wasn't sold on Bute but he's grown on me, it annoyed me that he was kept in protective custody and win after win over the Bika's of this world...we got to see him fight tomato cans like he's doing with Brinkley. Tbf he did what he had to do and redeemed himself in Andrade II against an 8 cylinder who didn't stop firing and he was performing well in that first fight before it all got a bit funky. I'm still holding some reservations about Bute until he shows me something more against higher level competition and no way should he be rated as the number 1 super middle.

He can definitely box though, good counter puncher, decent set up and very good footwork. His chin has held up as well despite that Andrade fiasco he hasn't shown vulnerabilities in that department and he's been in with some decent bangers. I look for him to do what Dawson couldn't, box at mid to long range, using his superior technique and draw Pascal's lead and walk him into shots, especially the uppercut. Also the straight left inbetween the looping shots of Jean. Expect to see a role reversal between this and the Dawson/Pascal fight as Bute will be the one boxing on the backfoot and circling.

Having said that though if there was anything to be critiqued after Dawson/Pascal, it was the stereotype that Pascal comes in at straight lines and couldn't box south and west. This notion that Pascal is predictable with his stalk should have been squashed. He is smart and showed discipline, I already said that Chad lost it more then Pascal won it, but the manner in which Pascal used his athleticism and speed with Leonard flurries it doesn't make me comfortable with a relatively untested super middle catching the difference at 175.

Another thing...never "NEVER" a good idea to taste the scales at 175 and enter the ring at 183, to then dehydrate back down to the limit at 168. Look through the history books and you'll get the answer to this conundrum (perhaps why Bute is reluctant to take the fight). Couple this with the fact that Pascal has improved immeasurabily since his super middle days, and now we see the problem with fighting this young lion. Btw, Pascal will be stronger at 175 which suits him much better with that frame; tell you what i certainly realized that on sunday morning.

I'm going Bute UD though. :good

 

I'd still bet on Dawson in a rematch especially given that his odds will be a fair bit be wider.

 

I think Dawson got more credit for his wins/resume rather than being unbeaten.

Sure people question them, but victories over the likes of Adamek, Johnson *2 etc are not the marks of a hopeless fighter.


The guy lost a fight against a decent fighter, many very good fighters have too.

 

As far as Pascal vs Bute goes, I'm not sure.

 

I used to be indecisive too, but now i'm not so sure.

Anyway, I like the way you put things into perspective with regards to Chad, Sir Jon. You, Gaz, Losfer and Mandanda have always been the voices of reason on this forum.

I was watching the HBO version of Dawson vs. Pascal yesterday and something that struck me was some of the goings on in Chad's corner. Eddie Mustafa was a good fighter and by all accounts a very good trainer, but he had a shocker IMO. I thought i was harsh on him initially but having watched it again i don't think i was wrong in calling him, Jack "double the jab" Loew in disguise that night.

What the heck was he doing telling Dawson that Pascal was a "finished" and a "dead man" after just 3 rounds? what was all that about? this after Pascal was winning the fight, stealing rounds and bullrushing on Chad's chops. Crazy! Dawson is the type of fighter you tell "you're losing" and read the riot act even when he's not. You don't allow him to fall into a comfort zone that helps him fall into that slumber. Sometimes fighters can't see the directions of a fight or judge who won a close round in the middle of heated combat, that's when you rely on your corner who are meant to see what you can't see.

Chad is the opposite of someone like a Meldrick Taylor. Chad probabily needed Lou Duva while Meldrick could've done with Eddie Mustafa against Chavez. Duva told Taylor to go out there and fight in that last round (although the little git denied it even though its there for all to see).

What is it with these cornermen Jon?

 

Kalambay was a very good technician who gave the Bodysnatcher a lot problems, not sure i'd say Nunn's win was a total shock though tbh. Looking back that whole period was awesome and vastly underrated.

Btw Flea, whats your views on Calzaghe? he would've been great for that period IMO.

It's interesting because i was watching Calzaghe vs Jones and i remember thinking, it would've been intriguing where Joe would've gone from there in terms of opponents since he was on his own vis-a'-vis "No Warren" - but everything I saw told me that he was gonna chase Rocco's record and actually try to go for 50 and O! Never took the business of retiring seriously as i thought it would not be reality after an impressive win to make him fighter of the year considering it was two HOFamers he beat within a 6 month window. I just miss that Welsh *******. lol

There's also rumours of another Roy Jones return today, :-( which is sad and ironic for a guy who was so risk averse in his prime. Damn it Roy! I enjoyed my ride with you since '88 but it's really time for "Penzy in da house" to color analyze & promote.

 

Slip, I just think Dawson is the perfect example of missing intangibles. He just doesn't seem in the zone ever. He hit jean with a perfect uppercut and then just stared at him. And that's because every time he'd caught him before, he got raked right back.

He's still a good fighter, but the first prime guy he faced beat him handy. His limitations are clear.

 

Slip, my point on Nunn-Sumbu was about Kalambays elusiveness/toughness Vs Nunns lack of punching power :good

As for Calzaghe, I'd say he'd do better as most of the late 80's/early 90's guys impress me more as 160lbers. I think he'd fare better@168 against these guys then he would agaidt Prime Jones or the late 70's light heavys, put it that way.

I'm not certain he'd beat an out of his best weight 'Body Snatcher' myself, who was as wiley and tough as they come even past prime post-160. It took a fighter like Jones to shut him out, even though he had respect for him. McCallum also fared well against Toney past prime, not certain that Calzaghe would make it any easier than either of them, his ability to make adjustments on the fly is matched by McCallum IMO.

 

At this point I have to agree with all of this. Everything that mightve been problems with Dawson have been shown not be 'bad nights' or 'learning curves' or 'not being forced into a higher gear' but inherent to his Boxing DNA.

I'm glad Pascal is at the forefront now; he has the right attitude.

 

Hey Westy, I know you've got some pull over in Romania...so you better talk to Brother Bute, Stephan Larouche et al and advise the future knighted "annointed one/(Sir)" to NOT fight Pascal at 175. Pascal is too much man at 75. Best thing for Lucian is to stay at 168 and make this kid have two more tough fights and lose confidence. Westy, I appreciate what you Bute fanatics bring to our family, but I've started to detect the DOUBT in your writing as to Pascal being the Romanian murderer! Lol.

Bute is way too sheltered by his handlers to attempt a move up 7 pounds. This would have been a possibility if the guy he would be facing (Jean who throws punches like he's swimming Pascal) wasn't so fast and so much of a lion if not an all round better boxer.

Bute will need to be "9 punches per second" lefty. He will need to rely on that blinder jab, Pascal's weird style helps him because he shouldn't really be effective against southpaws with speed and timing since a lead right is the better option against lefties.

 

Good post dftaylor, I fear you maybe right, but it's the first time he's officially lost and it's not like he was Lacy'd, so let's see how things play out. If he destroys or dominates Pascal in the rematch ala Paul Williams did Quintana then he'll be back on track. These contractual problems just add to his woes. :-(

Btw Bro. Did I mention that my brother who lifes in New Orleans is friends with the son of the Louisiana Boxing Commissioner. I was there to visit last year and it was interesting. They have events usually once a month in the casino's around NO usually in Kenner, La. All the events are sick with like 7 boxing and 4 MMA's mixed together. The MMA's are obviously not my thing but the young, 20 something trim that comes out for strictly MMA action is quite nice, lol. I say interesting because these dual cards actually allow the cream (boxing) to rise to the top. People were booing and voicing their displeasure everytime those MMAers went rolling around on the ground, but there was no such thing in the boxing bouts even as an array of 'bums' went at it. lol

My brother on account of knowing the commissioner got us inside the baracade on the hard floor; one row better than ringside where the Commissioners and ring girls sit! It was sweet bro. :good