by Richard Cloutier
Jean Bédard of InterBox has announced that Lucian Bute (29-0-0) will defend his IBF super middleweight title against Glen Johnson (51-15-2) on November 5th. It is assumed that Bute-Johnson will be staged at the Bell Centre or at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec. Showtime will televise, likely paired with highlights of Mikkel Kessler's bout with WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz, which is scheduled to take place on the same day in Denmark.
Bute's team tried to secure Kessler and Kelly Pavlik for the date, but Kessler turned their offer down in favor of facing Stieglitz, and Pavlik rejected a guaranteed offer of $1.35 million dollars. Johnson was reportedly not happy with the money being offered. The two sides continued to negotiate and a deal was reached.
In his last battle, fought on June 4 in the Super 6 tournament, Johnson gave WBC champion Carl Froch all he could handle and lost by way of majority decision.
Richard Cloutier Is A publishing editor for Netboxe.com in Canada and BoxingScene.com. He's a member of Boxing Writers Association of America, an Elector to induction of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (Canastota, NY.) And Also the author of numerous books including the biography of former WBC super middleweight champion Eric Lucas, trainer for WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, and current IBF world champion Lucian Bute. Follow Him on Twitter: @ RichardCNetboxe.
