Lucian Bute is a punk. Possibly ducking his mandatory challenger?

[£-4-£]

Possibly going to fight Brian Magee (European SMW Champion; 34-3-1; 35 years old) in March.

The Brinkley fight was a joke, now he's going to fight a European level fighter when he has a mandatory challenger.

Jean Paul Mendy (29-0) from France is his mandatory. Recently won an IBF eliminator against Sakio Bika. Why hasn't the IBF forced the fight on Bute?

How can people call Bute the best in the division when he's fighter weak opponents. He hasn't fought a game opponent since his rematch with Andrade over a year ago.

Plus there's Stieglitz and Sartirosan (other alphabet titlists) out there. And if Dirrell has "recovered" then they should fight.

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Who do you think his next opponent should be?

[Fox McCloud]

Possibly going to fight Brian Magee (European SMW Champion; 34-3-1; 35 years old) in March.

The Brinkley fight was a joke, now he's going to fight a European level fighter when he has a mandatory challenger.

Jean Paul Mendy (29-0) from France is his mandatory. Recently won an IBF eliminator against Sakio Bika. Why hasn't the IBF forced the fight on Bute?

How can people call Bute the best in the division when he's fighter weak opponents. He hasn't fought a game opponent since his rematch with Andrade over a year ago.

_____________

Who do you think his next opponent should be?

You ready for this?

First, the Brinkley fight was not a joke by your logic, because it was... well, his mandatory.

Second, as he JUST fought his mandatory, he is allowed to make a voluntary defense before fighting his current mandatory.

Third, any idea what happened in the Mendy-Bika fight? Bika, a guy Bute outclassed, was torching Mendy, and then blasted him when he was down, getting disqualified.

So... all in all, your argument is trash. Do your research.

[£-4-£]

You ready for this?

First, the Brinkley fight was not a joke by your logic, because it was... well, his mandatory.

Second, as he JUST fought his mandatory, he is allowed to make a voluntary defense before fighting his current mandatory.

Third, any idea what happened in the Mendy-Bika fight? Bika, a guy Bute outclassed, was torching Mendy, and then blasted him when he was down, getting disqualified.

So... all in all, your argument is trash. Do your research.

I know about the Mendy fight.

But the point I'm trying to make is that he's choosing to fight a European-level fighter instead of taking on another titlist in the division in order to unify. Why? He should be testing himself against game opponents.

[Fox McCloud]

I know about the Mendy fight.

But the point I'm trying to make is that he's choosing to fight a European-level fighter instead of taking on another titlist in the division in order to unify. Why? He should be testing himself against game opponents.

Couldn't the possibility exist that he reached out to Robert "I struggle mightily with Enrique Orenlas" Stieglitz doesn't want to lose his WBO title to a better fighter in Bute?

It's not all that easy to get two good fighters in the ring at the same time... it's the sad truth of boxing that I've come to learn over the last four years.

[£-4-£]

Couldn't the possibility exist that he reached out to Robert "I struggle mightily with Enrique Orenlas" Stieglitz doesn't want to lose his WBO title to a better fighter in Bute?

It's not all that easy to get two good fighters in the ring at the same time... it's the sad truth of boxing that I've come to learn over the last four years.

Bute's a big draw in Canada. I'm sure they could have offered good money to him, better than what he got for Orenlas or any of his other fights. Money talks.

[BattlingNelson]

I know about the Mendy fight.

But the point I'm trying to make is that he's choosing to fight a European-level fighter instead of taking on another titlist in the division in order to unify. Why? He should be testing himself against game opponents.

True. Bute has gotten his lame mandy over with so now it's time for a big name moneyspinner or a unification fight right? Wrong. Enter Magee. LOL.

Now I have a lot of respect for Magee, who's a good fighter and deserves a good payday, but for those of us who wants to see Bute in a fight where the winner isn't a given then this is a letdown.

To add insult to injury his next fight will be Mendy.

Team Bute just doesn't have any confidence in their fighter. I think that's the only way to spin Bute's career. What a promotional masterpiece they've made. The canadians are going crazy when Bute KO's all those clubfighters and even Ring Magazine has him toprated in the division. Unbelieveable.

[Fox McCloud]

Bute's a big draw in Canada. I'm sure they could have offered good money to him, better than what he got for Orenlas or any of his other fights. Money talks.

I know it does. But at the same time, it's a one off payday for Stieglitz. He makes some money, loses and then makes no more money, because he's a nobody again. If he avoids Bute, he can continue to fight eh opponents on Universum's Best of Champions Nights in various places in Germany, and bring home all that money.

I don't know how accurate all of this is, just playing devil's advocate.

Plus, to be totally honest, I think Bute is just biding his time until he can get his hands on some of the Super Six fighters.

[£-4-£]

True. Bute has gotten his lame mandy over with so now it's time for a big name moneyspinner or a unification fight right? Wrong. Enter Magee. LOL.

Now I have a lot of respect for Magee, who's a good fighter and deserves a good payday, but for those of us who wants to see Bute in a fight where the winner isn't a given then this is a letdown.

To add insult to injury his next fight will be Mendy.

Team Bute just doesn't have any confidence in their fighter. I think that's the only way to spin Bute's career. What a promotional masterpiece they've made. The canadians are going crazy when Bute KO's all those clubfighters and even Ring Magazine has him toprated in the division. Unbelieveable.

Precisely!

If he fights Magee in March, he won't fight Mendy until July/August. Meaning he won't have a bigger fight/unification bout until this time next year. Meaning he's had a run of 4 or 5 weak opponents.

He should probably look to fight his mandatory (Mendy) in March, so he can take on a bigger fighter in July/August.


I wish Joe Calzaghe had Hopkins' longevity. If he was still fighting he'd have cleared out this division (if he could still have made weight).

Ward's rough house tactics would have resulted in a repeat of Hopkins-Calzaghe. Froch would have been out-boxed. Dirrell would have been embarrassed. And he already took Kessler's soul.

[Sweet Jesus]

To answer your question...

They are fighting Magee first because they want to save Mendy for later when there are real fights to be made.

[£-4-£]

I know it does. But at the same time, it's a one off payday for Stieglitz. He makes some money, loses and then makes no more money, because he's a nobody again. If he avoids Bute, he can continue to fight eh opponents on Universum's Best of Champions Nights in various places in Germany, and bring home all that money.

I don't know how accurate all of this is, just playing devil's advocate.

Plus, to be totally honest, I think Bute is just biding his time until he can get his hands on some of the Super Six fighters.

I get your point about the paydays, it's true.

But it seems to me as though Bute's content with these easy fights and easy paydays. No way he should be ranked number-1.