Froch's camp announces 2 bouts against Bute in 2012

[crold1]

Ward made it clear that he wasn't interested. You can't negotiate with someone who isn't interested.

If this turns out to be true, props to both guys. It's a tough fight for both and, if the Six taught anything, it's that they fight the fights for a reason. Only one guy got out unscathed. Froch going on the road again for a toughie is why he is excellent and Bute being willing to travel for a return (and I assume there would be stips for that) keeps the division vibrant already for 2012.

Crossed fingers.

[ИATAS]

Ward Fans : *** Bute, he doesn't deserve to fight Ward!!

*Bute signs to fight Froch*

Ward Fans : He's ducking Ward!!

When did i ever say any of that???? Ive been wanting the winner to fight bute this whole time, i thought that was the point.

And i dont care if but fights froch next but why two fights? That takes him out for a year. Ive heard of rematch clauses but never a two fight deal

[Low Blow Combos]

Niiiiiiice.

[Dave Rado]

Ward Fans : *** Bute, he doesn't deserve to fight Ward!!

*Bute signs to fight Froch*

Ward Fans : He's ducking Ward!!

LOL! Exactly. Sad, isn't it.

[j.one]

Ward said he wouldn't fight Bute right now, so Bute went for the next best thing. Is that so hard to understand?

Ward was offered the fight in New York, said no, or at least not now; and Froch, who was by far the highest ranked opponent available to him after Ward, and who is the Super 6 runner up, was then offered two fights, one in each fighters' country, and accepted the deal. So what exactly is your criticism? Or are you so blinded by hate that you're incapable of rational thought?

How am I hating? By stating the fact that Ward won and the fight was just last night and they have already stopped negotiating with Ward and signed a 2 fight deal with the runner up?

It's convenient that the guy who refused to enter the Super six and has been bum fighting is now fighting the loser who just so happens to be older slower and less skilled than Ward.

[-Kev-]

Just watch the beginning of this documentary - it shows the ongoing frustration in Bute's camp with top fighters refusing to fight Bute - in this case it was Pavlik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8NPErhkgbg

How is Pavlik a top fighter anyways?

[crold1]

How am I hating? By stating the fact that Ward won and the fight was just last night and they have already stopped negotiating with Ward and signed a 2 fight deal with the runner up?

It's convenient that the guy who refused to enter the Super six and has been bum fighting is now fighting the loser who just so happens to be older slower and less skilled than Ward.

If this is true, if it gets signed, that indicates negotiations have gone on behind the scenes prior to the fight. Ward was quick to say no Bute and Froch and Bute were talking about each other already. In other words, Ward doesn't want to negotiate Bute right now. With a two fight deal, they can be ready to have a third fight with someone else in the fall.

editing...went back and looked up some stuff on the Bute exclusion. I initially thought he refused; over time, there was some indication he wasn't really invited.

TK Stewart reported on it at the time, saying negotiations broke down: http://www.boxingscene.com/-lucian-b...seventh--23763

[Dave Rado]

And i dont care if but fights froch next but why two fights? That takes him out for a year. Ive heard of rematch clauses but never a two fight deal

It's obvious why. Because both are big draws in their own country but not anywhere else. They could have fought somewhere neutral like New York but it wouldn't have made even half as much money as a fight in either Canada or the UK would make, especially Canada, where Bute is a massive draw. And neither wanted to fight in the other fighter's country unless there was a guaranteed rematch in their country. Froch especially feels strongly about that because he considers (wrongly, IMO) that he was robbed in the Kessler fight - and yet Bute is a much bigger draw in Canada than Froch is in the UK, so if there were going to be only one fight, the figures stacked up in favour of it being in Canada, but Froch would never have agreed to that unless there was a guaranteed rematch in Nottingham.

[Mikhnienko]

When did i ever say any of that???? Ive been wanting the winner to fight bute this whole time, i thought that was the point.

And i dont care if but fights froch next but why two fights? That takes him out for a year. Ive heard of rematch clauses but never a two fight deal

I apologize then, i havent seen many saying that.

I think their rational for the 2 fight clause is why fight in neutral territory like NYC or Vegas when they can draw 8K and 17K in their hometowns, two big money fights and they're probably both weary of hometown judging so a fight in each country evens things. Based on the timeline they'll be done by July so winner could fight Ward Oct/Nov 2012, that's not bad.

It could look like this

Feb-Mar
Ward-Dirrell mandatory
Kessler-Steiglitz

Apr
Bute-Froch

Jun-Aug
Ward-Kessler (WBA,WBC,WBO unification)
Bute-Froch rematch

Oct-Nov
Ward /Kessler winner vs Bute/Froch winner (IBF,WBA,WBC,WBO)

[elgu]

How am I hating? By stating the fact that Ward won and the fight was just last night and they have already stopped negotiating with Ward and signed a 2 fight deal with the runner up?

It's convenient that the guy who refused to enter the Super six and has been bum fighting is now fighting the loser who just so happens to be older slower and less skilled than Ward.

First off Bute didn't refuse to enter the super six, he wasn't invited. It didn't fit the format of 3 Americans vs 3 Europeans.

Also if you've been following the lead up to this fight both Bute and Froch said they were willing to fight each other, Ward hid behind the "Bute doesn't deserve a title shot".

Froch could just as easily said the same thing Ward did but he didn't and he had a bit of a tougher schedule than Ward(they both fought Kessler and Abraham but Dirrell, Johsons>Green, Bika).

Finally in the post interviews Andre said that he didn't want to fight Bute right now, talked about taking time the best offer and so forth.