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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Cook Stops Butler In The Seventh Round
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL - The Montrealer Steven Butler, who wanted
absolutely to be ranked in the Top five contenders of the
IBF this year, lost the most important bout of his pro
boxing career Saturday evening in the ring of the Bell
Centre in Montréal.
Ranked fifth contender by the WBA, Brendon Cook (18-0-0), a
boxer from from Toronto, beat Butler by TKO at the end of
the seventh round. Cook, who became the first fighter to
beat Butler, won an unification of the IBF North American
championship and WBA InterContinental championship in the
super welterweight division (154 pounds). Butler (18-1-1)
was ranked eight contender by the IBF before the bout.
Butler was more aggressive than Cook in the first two
rounds. The Montrealer got three solid attacks in each
round, against one for the opponent. Cook was more offensive
in the third round, he connected few solid power shots, but
Butler worked pretty well in counter-attack.
The fourth and fifth rounds were intense and close, each
fighter connected great power punches.
In the sixth round, Cook gave hard time to Butler. He was
clearly more energetic than the Montrealer.
In the seventh round, Cook, against more energetic than the
Montrealer, sent the Montrealer on the floor. Butler got
back on his legs, but he looked hurt. The referee Marlon B.
Wright intervened to stop the bout and declared Butler TKO
at the last second of the round.
“I said it several times in the last weeks, I knew I was a
better fighter than Butler, and a boxer more energetic than
him, said Cook in getting out of the ring. Butler was
clearly tired in the sixth round, and it’s why I connected
him so often with my power shots. In the seventh round, I
knew I was on the way to win the bout. And when I floored
him, I knew that Butler was finished. I don’t know if Butler
spent to much energies in the first rounds, but clearly, I
won the battle of the strategies. It was obvious that my
power shots were hurting him more than his power shots were
hurting me. It was the biggest challenge of my boxing career
and obviously, I just obtained the biggest win of my career.
Now, I am in better position than ever to get my chance in a
world championship bout. And I know I have the potential,
the courage, the toughness and the determination to become
soon super welterweight champion of the world. I really hope
I will get my chance to fight in a world championship bout
this year or next year.”
THE UNDERCARD
The heavyweight Simon Kean, a boxer from Trois-Rivières,
Québec, who should fight for the Canadian championship this
year, obtained his eight win in pro boxing (8-0-0) with a
win by unanimous decision in eight rounds over the
Californian Avery Gibson (8-6-4).
Kean dominated the action in every rounds. His technique was
so superior to the opponent.
One of the best prospect in the Canadian pro boxing, the
Montrealer super lightweight Yves Ulysse Jr. stayed
undefeated (12-0-0) with a victory by unanimous decision in
eight rounds over the Mexican Jose Emilio Perea (24-8-0).
Ulysse controlled the action with his speed and skills, but
Perea was very aggressive in each round. Clearly, the crowd
appreciated the fight.
The Montrealer super lightweight Ayaz Hussain scored his
12th win in pro boxing (12-1-0), this one by TKO in the
second round over the Mexican Ulises Perez (16-5-0).
Hussain sent the Mexican on the floor in the second round,
and Hussain intensified his charges in the following
seconds, pushing the referee to stop the bout. Perez was
clearly in trouble when the fight has been stopped.
The Montrealer Russian Ablaikhan Khussainov, a lightweight,
kept his perfect pro record (5-0-0) with a win by TKO in
sixth round over the Mexican Oscar Meija.
Khussainov attacked furiously in each round, but Meija
(8-2-1) was resisting courageously during the first five
rounds. However, in the sixth and last round, Khussainov
punished severally his opponent, he connected him with a lot
a power shots to the head and the body, forcing the referee
to stop the bout.
The super lightweight Batyr Jukembayev, a Montrealer coming
from Kazakstan, stayed undefeated in eight pro bouts (8-0-0)
in beating the Mexican David Rangel (12-5-0) by KO in the
first round.
Jukembayev provoked a knockdown in the last minute of the
first round, and his opponent has been unable to get back on
his legs before the count of 10.
Mathieu Germain, another super lightweight from Montréal,
increased his record to 9-0-0 with a victory by unanimous
decision over the Mexican Juan Armando Garcia (19-6-2).
Germain was a lot of more aggressive and intense than his
opponent in every rounds. Germain sent Garcia on the floor
in the seventh round. And Garcia was clearly in trouble in
the eight, the last round. Germain dominated certainly seven
of the eight rounds.
In the opening bout of the evening, the lightweight Josh
O’Reilly, from Hamilton, Ontario, improved his record to
8-0-0, in beating the Hungarian Attila Csereklye (6-5-0) by
TKO in the first round. O’Reilly provoked two knockdowns in
the first minute of the bout, and he maintained his attacks
against an opponent seriously hurt, forcing the referee to
stop the bout after only 2.16 minutes of action.
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