WBA SMW champ Anthony Mundine vs IBF SMW champ Lucien Bute - Who wins??!!

Mundine can't handle bigger blokes, so if Bute is physically bigger i might have to go with him on this one.

I think Mundine shld seriously think about going down to 160

 

Bute isnt really the IBF champ Calzaghe is ...

I dont think that really tells us anything. Mundine has been in withh better fighter and has been improving over the years. I'd give him the nod right now.... but I see Bute improving enough over the next year or so to reverse it.

 

Even though Bute is only really a paper champ he would still school the joke that is Mundine.

Mundine is maybe the worst world champ of any organisation in any weight division.

 

That's what was said of Joe only a few yrs ago. His recent competition is disgraceful but his ability is immense, watch him fight.

 

Mundine isn't a champ. His title is useless since Calzaghe is the real "super" champ. It is ridicoulus that the wba has a title for their No 2 guy.

 

seriously the WBA champ is Calzaghe

 

One of the problems in assessing this matchup is that Mundine's opposition since Green has been an absolute and utter joke:

1. Ruben Acosta (http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=134746&cat=boxer) who was 12-1 at the time and coming off a draw with Nievas;

2. Sam Soliman (http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=14452&cat=boxer) a small middleweight who had no business fighting for a vacant belt at SM (as was proved in his subsequent loss to Bika);

3. Pablo Daniel Zamora Nievas (http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=297371&cat=boxer), a boxer who never beat a half-decent fighter and yet got a title shot;

4. Jose Alberto Clavero (http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=30734&cat=boxer) an absolute joke who had gone 2-4-1 in his 7 fights before Mundine, the two wins coming against 2-15 and 6-18-1 fighters; and

5. Nader Hamdan (http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=14415&cat=boxer), who somehow got a title shot after losing 3 of his previous 5 fights.


I'm all for the odd easy defence (and god knows that Joppy was an easy defence for Bute, although he is clearly superior to Mundine's recent opposition), but Mundine's opposition is completely ridiculous.

To contrast, Bute before Joppy had just beaten two fighters who were ranked in The Ring's top 10 at the time of the fight (Bika and Berrio).

Not saying this makes Bute a better fighter (although I think he takes Mundine in a fight), but it does make it easier to assess Bute's present level.

 

Bute by KO

 

I'll have to say Bute just on the basis that he holds a legitimate title (even if it one that Joe Calzaghe tossed away) and he's been fighting better opposition of late (Yes even Ol' sloppy Joppy is better than the blokes Mundine has been in with)

Lets not forget that Choc is a paper champion who has been defending his paper title against roadsweepers from Argentina. Lets also not forget that this is the man that got KTFO by feather fisted Sven Ottke.

 

I keep hearing Canadians say "Bute beat two men that were ranked in the Ring's top ten"

I've got news for you. They weren't.

Berrio was possibly the most lightly regarded champion of all time and has never been anywhere near the Ring's top ten.

Bika was ranked tenth contender when he faced Bute, which actually means he was ranked eleventh. Bute has never beaten a top ten fighter (although Bika has climbed since winning the contender) but he's beaten better than the tripe Mundine has been in with lately.

 

I'd say 50/50. Bute is younger, bigger, stronger, and has a higher workrate. Mundine has faster hands and has more ability, versatility but I think he has regressed in his last couple of fights and has had a couple of bad injuries in the last couple of years. The Mundine that schooled Green and Soliman takes it but I'm not sure where he's at atm. Mundine can and has risen to the occasion while Bute is pretty consistent at dominating his opposition.

I can see why people are confused as to who to pick in this matchup and there's not much in the polls.

 

Doesn't matter what the Ring rankings were. They're some of the worst rankings around. Both Bika and Berrio were top 10 when Bute fought them. Bika is top 10 even now.

 

Mundine will rise to the occasion and give Bute a swift sound beating which his slow-wide-open-sloppy-telegraph-punching-stance deserves.