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Bute & Cote Look To Future
By Daniel Cloutier
The Bell Center was the place to be last night and after the
show the 2 biggest stars from Monteal spoke. After his win
by TKO, Bute said, “The InterBox people know that my goal
now is to face the biggest names in the supper middleweight
division, Mikkel Kessler, Carl Froch, Andre Ward... name
it.”
Bute went on, “I am expecting to face Kessler in Montreal or
Copenhagen next fall, and Showtime promised me a fight
against the winner of the “Super Six”, no matter if it is
Froch or Ward, next spring. A fight between me and Froch or
Ward would be extremely prestigious, because it would be a
unification of the WBC, WBA and IBF belts.”
As to the location of the bouts Lucian said, “Montréal is my
home town since 2003, but I am ready to fight in New York,
Las Vegas, Los Angeles or Europe, where Showtime will
organize major events for me.”
One young star who Pound4Pound has been very high on is the
undefeated Pier-Olivier Cote. Carl Moretti, the former
president of Main Event, now with Top Rank Inc., told me
after the show, “Pier-Olivier Cote (15-0-0), the young boxer
from Québec City who won by KO in the first round (three
knockdowns) against the Mexican Michael Lozada tonight (Lozada
gave pretty good opposition to Paul Malignaggi December 18th
in Québec City), is a rising star in Canada. He is fast,
mean, strong and spectacular and tonight, Lozada was 10
pounds heavier than him. I am expecting that Cote will fight
May 7 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, when Pacquiao will face
Mosley. He should be involved in an eight rounder, in the
first or second fight of the evening. The offer is on the
table, I am just waiting the Cote clan answer.”
Cote told me, “If my trainer wants to see me fight in Las
Vegas, I will. It would be very exciting. Manny Pacquiao is
my idol. If I don’t fight in Las Vegas, I could be involved
in a NABO
North American lightweight championship May 21st at Bell
Centre, in the HBO Boxing Show, when Jean Pascal gives a
rematch to Bernard Hopkins.” The people around Cote said
last night that Las Vegas is now the first option.
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