‘Edison Miranda’

For the first time since 2005, IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute will box in his native Romania as the Montreal resident faces the challenge of his number one contender Jean Paul Mendy in an all-southpaw clash tonight at Romexpo in Bucharest, Romania.

Bute is back in the ring less than four months since his last action, a tenth round TKO of ex-IBO titlist of Brian Magee, in which the IBF champion was given a harder than expected fight before cracking the ambitions of Magee with spearing body shots.

"Le Tombeur", 28-0 (23), will be putting his crown at risk for the seventh occasion since winning the title in 2007 and Mendy represents the least experienced foe Bute has faced in a very long time.

While the 29-0-1 (16) record of Mendy appears to be impressive, a look at the opponents on his resume tells a different story. More...

One of the world's top super middleweights is in action on Saturday in his adopted hometown of Montreal, as Lucian Bute puts his IBF crown on the block against Irishman Brian Magee at the Bell Centre.

Bute, 27-0 (22), has held the title for over three years since stopping Alejandro Berrio in 2007 and then holding onto it by mere seconds against Librado Andrade a year later.

The 31 year old native Romanian then tted himself by stopping Andrade in their rematch in 2009 and spent 2010 halting Edison Miranda and most recently, Jessie Brinkley this past October.

But Bute has never really mixed with genuine top tier opposition and that trend continues with the selection of opponent Magee.

Magee, 34-3-1 (21), is certainly a solid operator and the former IBO and current European champion will no doubt come to fight in his only major world title shot to date, but the 35 year old is without question the underdog here.

In this battle of southpaws, Bute will have almost all the advantages; height, youth, quickness, skill and punching power but Magee has definitely faced some experienced opponents and his challenge does present a tough test for the champion. More...

Both Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham entering the ring tonight in Helsinki, Finland will be guaranteed the next step through the Super Six tournament to the semi’s.

It just depends on how they fare on the night and the decision that comes after as to whereabouts they are in the proceedings i.e knockout win or points win or loss.

This is because of two men that have left the tournament on medical grounds, Mikkel Kessler and Andre Dirrell. Dirrell has had to pull out citing neurological damage caused by the illegal punch that Abraham landed in their fight not long ago.

Kessler, after beating Froch over twelve rounds, has had to pull out of the tournament due to an eye injury he has sustained, and is set to take approximately nine months off from boxing.

In defeat, although both had lost their undefeated records, Froch and Abraham had still done enough damage to their previous opponents to the extent that they have had to retire from the tournament.

It is quite clear then that these boys can bang, Abraham’s record stands at 31-1, 25 KO’s and Froch’s stands 26-1, 20 KO’s.

They are both very unorthodox fighters. Abraham tends to be a slow starter, takes a look at the job in hand, feels the opponent's shots and generally likes to sit behind a very high guard.

Often losing the first few rounds, he uses very little, if any, lateral movement or footwork and will plod forward until he pins his man against the ropes and throws straight right hands and wild looping hooks. More...

Despite the media buildup to last night's Andre Ward vs. Allan Green WBA super middle title clash at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA, the bout came off exactly as it appeared on paper beforehand; a fight between two very different class of fighters.

Green had only once tested the waters at world level and had come away with a loss to Edison Miranda while Ward had earned his stripes in his last outing that saw a dethronement of of WBA champion Mikkel Kessler.

That trend continued at the Oracle Arena last night as Ward simply had too much skill, strength and speed for the outgunned Green.

For all of Team Green's tough talk leading up to the bout, the fighter from Oklahoma was unable to deliver upon his promises to strip Ward of the WBA belt, instead, the 30 year old was outboxed in each and every round.

Ward, who had shown class during the buildup, proved he had it in the ring too, utilizing perfect movement to not only nullify Green's offense but to deliver sharp combinations coming off a picture perfect jab. More...

Showtime's much talked about Super Six Tournament goes front and center under the spotlight tonight at Oakland, CA's Oracle Arena with hometown hero Andre Ward putting his WBA super middle title belt on the line for the very first time.

26 year odl Ward, 21-0 (13), is a newcomer to the world stage, having unseated reigning WBA champion and ruling divisional kingpin Mikkel Kessler at this same venue in November of last year via an 11th round technical decision.

Prior to that bout, Ward's most significant accomplishment had been a Gold Medal at the 2004 Olympics, the last American amateur boxer to produce such a result as we have reminded of over and over in Ward's promoter's media releases.

Ward's list of professional victims leading up to his masterful Kessler dethronement has been filled with the usual suspects along with a cast of solid grade B performers here and there from 2007-2009, with one exception: Colombian slugger Edison Miranda. More...

© Tom Casino / Showtime Boxing

Everyone in the boxing community had a favourite going into the Super Six Showdown. And I bet that those opinions have now changed somewhat.

That is the beauty of this tournament; there are new questions and answers being raised before and after every fight so far.

Some would have favoured Andre Dirrell’s silky movement and speed of hand and foot; now they may question his heart when the going gets rough!

Others may have said Mikkel Kessler is by far the more experienced man and the best all-rounder; fundamentally, he is solid. They may now wonder if he can deal with speed and whether or not there is a blueprint to beat him.

Carl Froch’s fans, myself included, said his grit, determination, chin and power will carry him through the tournament…well it just about carried him through one fight, but when he met someone with equal qualities i.e. Kessler, he couldn’t adapt.

I do not know if anyone favoured Taylor going into the tournament, the odds were stacked against him, and it is a shame but for right or wrong, he has now left the tournament. After two chilling knockouts from guys who are currently still in the super six, perhaps it is a good move. More...

Lucian Bute successfully defended his IBF super-middleweight title in front of 13,682 roaring fans at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada last night.

With 1:22 left in the third round, the Montreal based fighter sent challenger Edison Miranda down face first to the canvas with a powerful uppercut. In his post fight press conference, Bute insisted that he didn't know he was about to knock out Miranda when he gave the power-puncher from Puerto Rico a little smile.

With this bout under his belt, Bute now holds a record of 26 wins with no losses, add to that resume 21 knockouts.

"I'm very happy with my performance. It went exactly as we planned," said Bute. From the opening bell, Bute was never threatened. The Romanian southpaw landed hard lefts in each of the opening rounds, and it was all over for Miranda by the third round.

At the post fight press conference, an InterBox promoter said that plans are in place to hold Bute's next fight in his native Romania on July 25 against an opponent yet to be determined.

The Bute fight was part of an HBO double-header, the second bout promoted on this night envolved Kelly Pavlik aganist Sergio Martinez of Argentina in Atlantic City.

When the final bell sounded, nobody could deny Sergio Martinez this victory. Martinez claims the he WBO and WBC middleweight belts by unanimous decision.

Boxing fans, get ready for a treat as HBO boxing brings to you two great fights tonight. The main event will feature the bout between Kelly Pavlik and Sergio Martinez live from Atlantic City, but before that much anticipated fight takes place; HBO will be broadcasting live from Montreal the bout between Lucian Bute and Edison Miranda.

This will be Bute’s fifth title defence of the IBF Super Middleweight Title. This is the second time that HBO will be headlining Bute, a boxer with much anticipated potential.

Bute is a Romanian born boxer that fights out of Montreal. He holds an impressive record of 25 wins and no losses, with 20 knockouts. What makes Bute a special fighter is his technical skills and although he is a southpaw, he can come at you with heavy artillery from both hands.

Recently, Bute has faced some criticism after he appeared to be knocked out in the 12th round against challenger Librado Andrade in a fight which took place in Montreal and saw the hometown hero get extra time to get back to his feet.

Although the fight was controversial, the result stood. A year later, Andrade was given another title contention, and this time Andrade was quickly knocked out by Bute in the fourth round. More...

Ahead of their IBF super middle title clash tonight at Montreal's Bell Centre, Lucian Bute and Edison Miranda hit the scales yesterday.

IBF super middleweight championship, 12 rounds
Lucian Bute:167.2 lb
Edison Miranda: 167 lb More...

"It's hard to change the style you used during your whole career in nine short months. When you're in an intense situation you quickly turn back to your old habits," states Lucian Bute (25-0-0, 20 K.-O.) about his opponent Edison Miranda (33-4-0, 29 K.-O.), who switched trainers and is now with the renowned Joe Goossen.

Bute admits that Miranda is a hard puncher and he will have to be very careful for the entire fight. The IBF Super Middleweight Champion also stated, in English: “I’m very happy that HBO has come to Montreal and I’m hoping that they will stay with me for the future.” More...

Lucian Bute is back in Montreal after spending the last nine weeks in Florida training at the Thump Boxing Gym facilities in Miami with Head Trainer Stephan Larouche and Physical Conditioning guru Andre Kulesza. More...

It is with much pleasure that InterBox unveils the bouts that will headline the undercard at the Bell Center in Montreal. The Main Event final, presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Warriors Boxing that will feature IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute (25-0-0, 20 K.O.) vs. #9 rated mandatory contender Edison Miranda (33-4-0, 29 K.O.), on Saturday, April 17th 2010. The bout will be live on HBO World Championship Boxing and Canadian PPV (Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw and Viewer’s Choice). More...

IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute, 25-0 (20), will defend his title for the fifth time against notorious power puncher Edison “Pantera” Miranda, 33-4 (29), from Colombia on Saturday, April 17th 2010 at the Montreal
Bell Centre.

Lucian will be lacing up his gloves in a Montreal ring after not boxing in the City for over one year. This main event bout will be presented by InterBox in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Warriors Boxing. More...

By Per Ake Persson

Sergey Dzinziruk, WBO junior middle champ but inactive since November 2008, continues in Ukrainian media to claim his contract with Universum is over with but what does Universum say? Well, today Universum have for the first time commented on the case and confirms a contractual dispute but states that a court in Hamburg ruled in their favour already in November. More...

All World Contender Edison “Pantera” Miranda wanted when he and his promoter Warriors Boxing’s Leon Margules agreed to a co-promotional contract with Goossen Tutor Promotions and renowned trainer Joe Goossen three months ago was a second opportunity to challenge for a World Championship title fight. He didn’t have to wait very long! More...