IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute is strongly considering vacating his title to face light-heavyweight champion and fellow Canadian Jean Pascal in March 2011.
Bute, who many consider the best fighter at super-middleweight, has found himself the odd man out after six of his potential challengers signed on for Showtime’s Super Six tournament, which began in November 2009. The round-robin format of the Super Six will kept those fighters from facing anyone else until mid-2011. In the meantime, Bute has made two title successful KO defenses against Librado Andrade and Edison Miranda. On October 15, he will face American Jesse Brinkley.
The logical idea of Bute unifying with the Super Six winner is hampered by time constraints. Because of Mikkel Kessler’s tournament withdrawal due to an eye injury, Showtime has marked him down as the fighter to get the first shot at the tournament winner, who should be crowned by the summer of 2011. This would mean Bute would have to wait until early 2012 before getting the chance to unify. There also could be contract issues, as Bute is now a HBO fighter, and the Super Six participants fight exclusively on the Showtime network.
Pascal made his name in America this past August by handing Chad Dawson his first loss. The victory also earned him the distinction of holding the WBC and RING magazine titles at light-heavyweight. On December 18, he will face Bernard Hopkins in Quebec City on Showtime PPV. Over the past year, Hopkins has talked favorably about facing Bute, and Pascal has advised media he would be willing to make what would be seen as a Canadian superfight.
Lucian Bute’s October 15 title defense against Jesse Brinkley will be aired live on www.espn3.com. Check your local TV listings for the time of the ESPN replay on October 17.
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Can’t blame Bute too much for this move. You may recall that back when the Super Six was announced, many wondered why Bute was not included, because according to reports Showtime didn’t even ask him to participate. Maybe it was the terms of his HBO agreement or thinking he would price himself out. Nonetheless, Bute’s career and the tournament were both hurt by his omittal.
Because Showtime contractually couldn’t switch the Super Six from round robin to elimination, the tournament won’t be over for some time. We have Stage Three going on in November (Green-Johnson, Froch-Abraham, Ward-Dirrell). Then two semi-final bouts need to happen in early 2011, followed by the finals in mid 2011. Then Kessler would get his shot towards the end of the year. And that’s assuming if no one gets injured or any other problems happen. This leaves Bute with bare bones options at super-middleweight. He either continues fighting lesser opponents, or makes a move up.
The Pascal-Hopkins winner is way more credible than Bute facing someone like Kelly Pavlik. We’ll see where the chips fall, but this proposed scenario seems way more feasible as opposed to Bute waiting for the Super Six winner.
What’s your call? Should Lucian Bute wait to unify at 168, go with the move to 175, or jump between the two weight classes?
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 
