by David P. Greisman
Badou Jack will be defending his super middleweight title against a fighter coming off a loss, but it was how Lucian Bute looked in defeat that landed him the bout taking place on April 30 in Washington, D.C., and broadcast on Showtime.
Bute hadn’t looked very good in the three and a half years since his May 2012 drubbing at the hands of Carl Froch. He hadn’t fought much either, topping Denis Grachev in November 2012, spending 14 months away before losing a unanimous decision to Jean Pascal in January 2014, and then returning 19 months later with a stoppage of Andrea Di Luisa.
But against 168-pound beltholder James DeGale last November, Bute put up a good battle that ended with him on the short end of a unanimous decision.
“It was one of the best fights last year, to be honest. That’s the only reason why he got this shot. He lost but he looked good,” Jack said at an April 1 press conference. “It was a great fight. April 30 is going to be another great fight — and another loss.”
Jack was originally supposed to defend against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., only for Chavez to pull out with a reported foot injury. This will be the second defense of a belt he won with a majority decision over Anthony Dirrell in April 2015 and then defended with a split decision over George Groves this past September.
Bute, he said, is “a much, much tougher opponent than Chavez Jr.”
“Bute’s a very tough opponent. I got to bring my A-game to win this fight,” Jack said. “Much respect to him, but he ain’t leaving with my belt. Absolutely not.”
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