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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Howard Grant: "Bute Is
Determined To
Get Back His Place As World Champion"
By Daniel Cloutier
Photos: Grant Boxing
MONTRÉAL - The former IBF super middleweight champion of the
world, the Montrealer Lucian Bute, has been training since
April at the Monster Gym in Dorval, a western suburb of
Montréal. The boxing trainers of the Monster GYM are two
former Montrealers boxers and now boxing promoters, Howard
and Otis Grant.
Bute is expecting to make a comeback in the ring in August
or September, possibly in a boxing show of the Premier
Champions Series on NBC, a series owned by the Californian
negotiator Al Haymon.
Bute (31-2-0), who won 10 IBF world championships bouts, has
not fought since January 18th 2014, since his defeat by
unanimous decision against the Montrealer Jean Pascal
(29-3-1), in a NABF light heavyweight North American
championship presented at Bell Centre in Montréal.
“Lucian is extremely serious in training, day after day",
said Howard Grant. "Clearly, he is really motivated and
determined to get back his place as a world champion. I know
he is gonna work extremely hard with us to get another shot
for a world title. By his discipline and determination,
Lucian is a good example for the others fighters in our gym.
In working with him on a regular basis, I can see he still
has the weapons necessary to become back a world champion or
be one of the best fighters of the super middleweight
division.”
Howard and Otis Grant should be in the Bute’s corner at his
next bout. Bute, a Romanian living in Montréal since 2003,
said his confidence is back now, and he is very impatient to
be back in the ring.
“I really want to prove to my fans that my confidence and my
efficiency are back on the track, said Bute. Yes, it’s true,
I am extremely impatient to be back in the ring. I am
expecting to get a confirmation soon of my next bout. Al
Haymon will give me that confirmation.”
Bute fought at 175 pounds against Pascal, but he wants to
get back in the super middleweight division (168 pounds).
Bute became IBF super middleweight champion of the world
October 10th 2007 in the ring of the Bell Centre, in beating
the Colombian Alejandro Berrio (36-7-0) by TKO in the 11th
round.
He lost his title to the British Carl Froch (33-2-0) May
26th 2012 in Nottingham, England. Froch beat him by TKO in
the fifth round.
Bute fought twice after his tough defeat against Froch, and
each time, he showed a clear lack of confidence offensively.
In these two fights, his hesitations to attack made his fans
very worried. |
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He his very motivated to prove to the boxing fans that his
weapons are back in his arsenal...
We will see if it’s true or not in few months.
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