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Super middleweight Lucian Bute will look to celebrate his fourth year as IBF champion as he puts his crown at risk against former IBF/IBO light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson at Quebec City’s Pepsi Coliseum.
For 31 year old southpaw Bute, 29-0 (24), this could turn out to be his most difficult test to date as even at age 42, Johnson, 51-15-2 (35), is probably the most dangerous opponent the IBF titlist has faced as a professional.
Over the course of his 68 bouts, Johnson has faced a much higher grade of opponent than anyone on Bute’s resume, racking up 12 world title appearances against such luminaries as Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarver, Sven Ottke, Chad Dawson, Carl Froch, Clinton Woods and Tarvoris Cloud not to mention a raft of excellent adversaries in non-title contests.
Bute’s list of title bout opponents pales in comparison; Librado Andrade, Edison Miranda, Alejandro Berrio, Fulgencio Zuniga, William Joppy, Brian Magee, Jessie Brinkley and Jean Paul Mendy.
However, Bute won all of his title bouts while Johnson only came out on top on three occasions.
The steeper grade of opposition, facing the house fighter and taking bouts on short notice all play a part in many of Johnson’s losses not to mention that he’s been what in generally considered to be, at least chronologically, an “old” fighter for a long time now.
Nonetheless, “The Road Warrior” continues to deliver hard fought performances against top opponents and it will be interesting to see how Bute deals with Johnson’s constant forward pressure.
Bute must be careful with his energy expenditure, as running out of gas in the later rounds in the first Andrade fight nearly had disastrous consequences, but at the same time he must be constantly on the move to avoid Johnson’s aim of forcing a slugfest.
With the height, reach and hand-speed advantage, Bute will be looking to keep Johnson at the end of the jab where the champion will look to land quick combinations, bracing counters and his trademark bodyshots, all before the challenger can return fire.
If Johnson can cut off the ring and get to grips with Bute or Bute decides to show that he can win a fight in the trenches with the challenger, there could be a new champion crowned on Quebec tonight.
But a far more likely outcome is that Bute mounts a smart fight and outpoints Johnson after a few close rounds later in the contest.
The undercard features light welter Pier Olivier Cote, 17-0 (11), vs. Jorge Teron, 25-2-1 (17), going for the vacant IBF Intercontinental strap.
Two-time IBF super bantam titlist Steve Molitor, 33-2 (12), will try to come back from his title loss to Takalani Ndlovu with a ten rounder against Sebastien Gauthier, 21-2 (13).
Super middle Sebastien Demers, 31-4 (11), will be looking to bounce back from two straight losses when he faces ex-WBA title challenger Allan Green, 30-3 (21).
