Was Lucian Bute that bad or was Carl Froch that good?

I believe both. Bute really froze this night, Froch was in top shape and doing everything right.

 

Both, Froch was on fire and Bute just didnt get out the blocks quick enough.

 

Froch was that good, to much experience and all round the beter fighter= easy nights work..

 

A mixture of both, obviously Bute's not as good as a lot of people (me included) thought but he's not a bum with a completely padded record either, still a top 5 guy in the division. Froch was as good as he's ever been and as you say, looked really motivated and determined to do some damage to Bute right from the opening bell.

 

I think Bute getting hurt early by Froch and then seeing Froch laugh off one of his best shots may have hurt Bute mentally.

 

Froch was just too good for him, Froch wouldn't be denied, just walked through Bute.

 

Froch can't have improved that much at 34 but he fought a clever fight and made Bute come after him instead of the other way around.

Froch just looked way more experienced than Bute in everything he did and that's no surprise given their recent level of opponents.

Bute was shown to have a chin that will struggle to stand up to the top SMW's punching power so it's back to the drawing board to develop a style that protects his whiskers at all costs.

Bute is still a real talent but he has just demonstrated again that a padded record of tomato cans does not created an experienced fighter who can understands his strengths and weaknesses and knows how to win when it gets tough.

 

Both. Froch even said before the fight Bute has not fought anyone & although it doesn't say it on paper he has been KO'd by Andrade. But u can't take anything away from froch. He was brilliant.

 

I felt Bute had flaws defensively, I think he is a flat track bully his style is a bit smoke and mirrors. I think he's not as hard to find as some fighters have made it and Froch showed if your willing to meet fire with fire you can succeed in a big way.

Bute's attack is his defence, he's got some great punches and good power and his feints and movement often stop people comitting to throw. He met someone last night who didn't fear or feel inferior to him. He met his match!

One thing though, The left hand that landed in first round. It snapped his neck back and he clinched. For me that was the punch that ended the fight. He never looked like he recovered. It was a peach of a punch and Froch is relentless like a animal smelling blood and sensing fear. Guys a damn beast!!

Bute cannot hand pressure and punches in bunches, once you break past his sharp counters you get through phase 1, then keep punching into short range (phase 2) by then he loses his poise and covers up and squares up and is worried. He just can't handle pressure.

Bute is a good solid world champion but as i say his style has been smoke and mirrors. Last night the flaws and lack of prime world class opponents and home bouts came back to haunt him.

To answer TS question it was Froch being that good with his plan, his technical refinement and his brave and bold mentality. Bute got hurt early and never recovered so his defence let him down so i'd say more Froch being good but also Bute's flaws being exposed. Froch hasn't started that quick in years either got to give him credit for that.

 

i think butes a very decent fighter but i can see how this win is going to get overrated in the future

 

Yeah, I agree Mand, before the fight you pointed out that the key to winning for Froch was to land the left hook often and improve technically, I laughed it off a bit, but his left hand was crisp and landing at will, I've never seen Froch use his left hand so well.

 

Excellent breakdown.

 

Cheers BA, You know what if i never watched the Behind The Ropes show i'd never of believed Carl would of done some of those things but watching Rob snapping at him to keep left hand up etc and Carl doing it i just had a feeling he was going to box with more guile. It seems Carl needs to lose before waking up!. AA and then Bute have been his best technical displays at world level and both have been after losses..

I never ever expected that type of display, Carl after didn't even look like he was in a fight.

Cheers Bill :good

 

That was a sweet left hook & Bute looked shook up. I'm not sure if it was the beginning of the end because Lucien did ok in rounds 1,2 & most of 4.

One thing that struck me watching the fight was how Froch used his feet to set up the right hand, stepping in & to his left to get his left foot outside Bute's before throwing the right.

I'm still in shock at that fight. Bute looked sluggish & just didnt get going, everytime Froch put him under pressure he just fell backwards into the ropes. Very poor defensively & none of the usual head movement he uses.

Bute was poor & Froch was inspired, I'd like to see a rematch in Canada but Froch has so many lucrative options I dont think it will happen soon, if ever.