Super Middleweight Tournament Officially Announced

[BattlingNelson]

No way Bute turned that down. I'd fall off my chair.

Allan Green should be in it, if for nothing more than his prediction right after the Deleon fight.

I'm pretty sure Bute turned an offer down. Why wouldn't he get an offer? He's a showtime regular. It's more than likely that he turned it down for whatever reason. Probably money.

It's a shame that not all the beltholders are in but nevertheless we have a great tournament coming up and the winner will likely be boxings next superstar.

[Dave Rado]

I'm pretty sure Bute turned an offer down. Why wouldn't he get an offer? He's a showtime regular. It's more than likely that he turned it down for whatever reason. Probably money.

It's a shame that not all the beltholders are in but nevertheless we have a great tournament coming up and the winner will likely be boxings next superstar.

I can't believe Bute can make more money outside the tourney than within it; but we'll know for sure on Monday - if Showtime don't mention Bute on Monday then we'll know he wasn't made an offer. If they do mention him, then presumably they'll say what happened.

The significance of his not being included is much bigger than his being a belt holder. There can be no new Ring champion until the #1 and #2 square off, and Bute is currently #2.

[BattlingNelson]

I can't believe Bute can make more money outside the tourney than within it; but we'll know for sure on Monday - if Showtime don't mention Bute on Monday then we'll know he wasn't made an offer. If they do mention him, then presumably they'll say what happened.

The significance of his not being included is much bigger than his being a belt holder. There can be no new Ring champion until the #1 and #2 square off, and Bute is currently #2.

Regarding the ring belt it's possible that if froch and Kessler wins the first couple of matches that they'll be ranked 1 and 2. It's also possible that Bute loses to Andrade.

Lots of possiblities. But the IBF and WBO belts will be missing.

[KILLA RIGHT]

Chea!!!!kessler vs aa in the finals and aa takes it all

[dstew]

Regarding the ring belt it's possible that if froch and Kessler wins the first couple of matches that they'll be ranked 1 and 2. It's also possible that Bute loses to Andrade.

Lots of possiblities. But the IBF and WBO belts will be missing.

Exactly. There is no guarantee that Bute stays at no. 2 when these other guys start beating quality opposition, someone could EASILY leapfrog Bute. Not to mention Bute could lose while the tournament is taking place.

[Dave Rado]

Exactly. There is no guarantee that Bute stays at no. 2 when these other guys start beating quality opposition, someone could EASILY leapfrog Bute. Not to mention Bute could lose while the tournament is taking place.

Provided Bute keeps winning and fighting reasonable opposition, I doubt he'll be leapfrogged, provided he was frozen out of the tournament rather than turning down a place in it. If he turned it down, though, then he deserves to lose his ranking immediately. But if he was frozen out, there are enough credible opponents still available for him to fight that he could justify keeping his ranking on the basis that he would be fighting the best opposition available to him. After all, Showtime freezing him out wouldn't make him a worse fighter than before they froze him out, so IMO it would be wrong to demote his ranking just because they froze him out, as long as he fights reasonable opposition.

And I suspect that he may well have been frozen out. As someone else pointed out, the tourney currently has 3 USA fighters and 3 Europeans. Replacing one of them with a Canadian would have made it less of a Ryder Cup type of tourney, which is probably an angle Showtime want to use in the promotion. But IMO it's every bit as bad as when Hopkins was nearly frozen out of the Middleweight tourney (don't forget that Hopkins was ranked #2 at that time as well).