i would like to see him fight kessler or calzaghe but calzaghe will FOR SURE come fight in the US against one of the big names, taylor hopkins or pavlik. Bute fought Kabary Salem as well did Calzaghe. Bute KO kabary salem in the 8th to end the fight while joe won by UD getting knocked down 1 time in the 4th and then knocking Salem down in the 12. They both also fought Sakio Bika. Joe said this was the toughest fight of his career. Bute didnt have any trouble with Bika. The only reason Bute might not have looked so good in the fight was bcuz Bika is a dirty fighter and kept trying to head butt Bute. Bute and Kessler both fought Andre Thysse where Kessler KO'd him in the 10th and Bute won every round against him on every judges card. I guess this doesnt mean anything saying that both of the guys beat the same guy but i would say that Bute is ready for either of them.
I think they will either go for an easy first title defense against a guy like Haussler or Joppy. Or go for a good fighter that is well known by the american public like Lacy, Andrade, Miranda, Green, etc...
Id like to see him go for it and have a pretty hard first up defence, with a good reputation attached to the name. Someone like Larsen, Froch, Inkin, maybe even Miranda will get him into the unifying mix quicker. I think a comebacking Lacy would certainly eye Bute in 08 after a a couple of fights.
He'll get one or two defences under his names, against decent guys with a decent name. Then look for a Lacy or Mundine or something along those lines mid-late 08... before having a crack at the Kessler/Calzaghe winner (if he wins, and their still around) sometime in 09.
It would be the smart thing to do since Bute needs some experience against good opposition before it steps up against Kessler or Calzaghe.
An easy defence before looking at Calzaghe or Kessler, maybe even Lacy. When I say easy defence, I mean someone with worth but not elite.
Maxime, you are too cautious for Bute's own good! I really cannot see Bute live it down on his first defense...he needs to keep the momentum going, fighting good/dangerous opposition which he can still beat - he needs to fight guys at least as good as Bika and Berrio. So...he should look towards someone like Inkin, Lacy or Mundine (if the latter is still around) - all of these he would be favourite against, realistically, even though the fights would be close. Then, he should step up again against Calzaghe! Kessler can happen later. How about that?
He should not take an easy defence, we have seen enough of that from champs ( Calzaghe, Mundine aso.) He should go for Inkin, Mundine, Lacy or Andrade, if he win he will be difficult to ignore for the wba, wbc, wbo champ. If the new champ is Kessler, i think he will be eager to meet him, with Calzaghe i dont think so, he will most likely figth an old amerikan name.
I'm not being cautious. I'm being realistic. It's a fact that most champions make a easy first title defense.
i know it doesnt work to the point like saying ok bute tkod salem and jc beat him by ud, that doesnt mean that bute will beat jc or that joe had a hard time with bika and bute took care of bika easily but im saying that they both beat the same guys so they should fight eachother.:thumbsup
yes, berrio is definately a power puncher and there is never a 100 % chance of victory no matter how good the fighter is, a fight is a fight , records dont tell the whole story
IF, and a BIG BIG if, Calzaghe beats Kessler - he's got MUCH bigger fish to fry than Lucien Bute. Bute will look to defend his titles a couple of times, against decent opponents with a decent name. Then step it up to the very top guys like Lacy and Mundine. THEN onto the elite like Calzaghe and Kessler (or whoever is elite at the time).
this is the ibf title so he'll get one voluntary before having to fight a mandatory. so i can't see him trying to unify for a year or more after berrio. mandatory against froch