Friday Night Fights: Sakio Bika - Lucian Bute

OK, tonight figures to be a good one. Last Friday's show in Canada is definitely going to be hard for anyone to top but this has promise.

A lot of people are real excited for Bute, and most already have him ranked in the top 10 of the 168 lbers right now. Looking at his resume, he's been fighting guys on the very fringes of the division for a while now and if nothing else, this represents a small step up as Bika is 2 fights removed from consecutive title shots.

Don't know a lot about Bute, but Bika is a very physical fighter especially on the inside. He likes to lead with his head, use his forearms and bang around a bit. He really roughed up Markus Beyer and was really taking control of their fight and had Beyer gassed before that was stopped in between rounds. He gave Calzaghe problems but was outclassed.

So this should be a good litmus for Bute. A lot of credit to him if he wins this one. I think it's interesting, his Romanian-Canadian counterpart Adrian Diaconu came out of absolutely nowhere and blasted out the very good Rico Hoye under the same Friday Night lights in Montreal. Bute doesn't look to have that explosive style of Diaconu but he's seen how fast Adrian's stock has risen since that outing, here's his chance tonight.

On the undercard is the 2004 Canadian Olympian Benoit Gaudet whom many felt was going to do big things in the pros and he was really one of the guys to watch for in those games to do something in the professional ranks, we heard his name a lot. Now he's trying to come back from a KO loss last year in which he which he has already avenged to climb back up the prospect ladder.

Then perennial Valuev challenger Jean Francis Bergeron takes on the heavyweight that has taken on everybody in Robert Hawkins. That has the potential to be boring but who knows.

Also, the fights aren't live tonight. Boxrec has some results posted already that I managed to scroll past fast enough to not see and I'm assuming that Fightnews has those aswell. If everyone could please keep this spoiler free until the show airs in about 20 minutes time I would appreciate it.

Cool I didn't know this was tape delay?
I echo your sentiments amat if this shit ain't happened yet.

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Originally Posted by yoitsdan

Cool I didn't know this was tape delay?
I echo your sentiments amat if this shit ain't happened yet.

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Yeah I kind of figured otherwise they would be starting at around 10 PM in Canada. Then when I went to look at the undercard I saw boxrec already had some fights listed and had to scroll down real quick.

College World Series is on right now so boxing got a bit of a bump. Don't think anyone would post spoilers as these threads tend to not generate to much traffic but was just airing on the side of caution.

You stickin around for this one Dan? I see No Contest online, should be here shortly enough. A few threads on the main event already, should be good.

Yeah I'm here for this, should be really good man, Bute is one of the hottest prospects going and Bika has one hard head! Should be great. Berrio is a dead man when when of these 2 get hold of him.

I fucking hate french :)

That's a stare down, I think these guys are gonna come out swinging!

We got Gaudet vs Pastrana, Gaudet has a nice technical style and Pastrana is just raw, he also has some of the worst socks i've ever seen ;D

Gaudet looks huge for a 130lber, he's got great movement and mixes up body and head well, Pastran was something like 17-22 and he's showing it, he leaves his head uncovered when he punches and is very static, Gaudet looks pretty classy.

Damn that was nice, Pastrana just got laid out, he ate a classy right hand counter and then a left bang on the chin, he gets up but Gaudet jumped all over him and he tattooed Pastrana with right hands on the ropes and the ref stopped it. Very nice performance, although the guy he was fighting was pretty awful.

There another pair of high socks for you, Amat! ;D


You know if I were a fighter I think I would have my appendix removed before my first pro fight. I am shocked that more of them aren't burst from too many body shots.

Great year for the Hall of Fame, Roberto Duran, Ricardo 'Finito' Lopez and Pernell Whitaker.

Gaudet looked good. I liked what I saw, loved that jab of his. A good come forward jab is one thing, but when you can use it flatfooted, on the backfoot and coming forward like Gaudet did then that is something very good. He used it to create space and the left hook off the jab was absolutely beautiful. Not hard to tell that he was an accomplished amateur.

The right hand to finish was nice, but with Gaudet being a guy who is going to do most of his work from the outside, I wish he had a nicer right hand to compliment it. He threw it low, choppy and fell in a bit with it.

Still, very nice.

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Originally Posted by BoxingGorilla

There another pair of high socks for you, Amat! ;D

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;D

They have to be matching ;D Can't be wearing red and blue trunks with yellow socks unless you're from Panama or Colombia.

Good stuff Dan CC, pretty much agree with everything.

This next one might not be so hot.

Pernell really was awesome wasn't he, I should watch some more cos he really was great.

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Originally Posted by amat

Good stuff Dan CC, pretty much agree with everything.

This next one might not be so hot.

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What's the next fight my man?

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Originally Posted by yoitsdan

Pernell really was awesome wasn't he, I should watch some more cos he really was great.

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The best Dan. Favorite boxer of all time.

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Originally Posted by yoitsdan

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Originally Posted by amat

Good stuff Dan CC, pretty much agree with everything.

This next one might not be so hot.

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What's the next fight my man?

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Robert Hawkins and Jean Bergeron. Two heavyweights, Hawkins never gets KO'd but he never works much either. Probably a one sided decision here.

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Originally Posted by amat

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Originally Posted by yoitsdan

Pernell really was awesome wasn't he, I should watch some more cos he really was great.

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The best Dan. Favorite boxer of all time.

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He's just before my time, I've seen a couple of his fights, his fight with Roger Mayweather sticks out in my mind that was awesome, that was back in the day when you could get away with all kinds of shit ;D

A bit before mine too, but lived in Norfolk Virginia. Anyways, it looks like we avoided Hawkins - Bergeron. Bute - Bika next.

Can't wait for this one, should be very good.

Nice, Bute is fantastic and Bika is extremely rugged and tough, I think this one could go 12.

They got some good fight fans in Montreal, pretty big turnout for Bute-Bika. The are loud too ;)

Little bit of a stagnent round, gave it to Bute though.

Good pace in round 1, I think round 2 they are gonna start opening up more. Definatey feeling out round Bute 10-9 for me or even.

I like the body work Bute is getting in early, Bika is gonna have to get inside to have a better chance in this one. At this point Bika looks to be the heavier handed of the two...we shall see.

Bika is such a handful, Bute is definately gonna have to earn that W tonight. Good round.

American adverts...... god some of them are bad.

I have it 3-1 Bika right now. Bute can't sustain an attack on the outside to save his life. And Bika is very slippery on the inside he has not allowed Bute to tie him up much at all. He's not the prettiest fighter but he's getting the job done right now. Would like Bute to work off the back foot a little more or at least shoot a straight left to keep Bika honest because right now, nothing is keeping Bika from coming right in.

Bika does well when he comes in off the the left hook. He is off balance alot, threw a couple that round when his back foot was off the ground. Its getting closer in there. Bute needs to either get that left up or use it more often.Lol Teddy gave the last 3 to Bika..guarenteed the judges cards are different.Always with the road guy.....

Yeah I agree, I think Bute's only round was the 1st, Bute just isn't throwing enough punches, Bika is landing a lot more. Its now 4-1 Bika for me.

Bika is actually quite a good mover, I feel like the range is controlled by Bika rather than Bute.

If Bute keeps moving his feet and pumping out the punches he can win, but when he stays too still Bika can pop him with those hooks.

I gave the 6th to Bute, it's now 58-56 Bika for me, the tide could be turning though that was a better round for Bute.

Wow Bika came to win. I also have it 4 rounds to 2 Bika. Great fight. Bute is turning it on though and throwing the much straighter punces

Bute is staying in his range and controlling the fight nicely now.

I think Bute read my post in between rounds ;D

Loving the adjustments on his part, I think the matchup is much like the first with Gaudet. Loving the movement of Bute, keeping the jab out there and he has really shortened up the left hand to catch Bika coming inside.

Awesome adjustments, it's like a tale of two fighters here. Bute looked robotic and tentative in the early going, but moving back and side to side a little has really negated the explosiveness of Bika.

Good fight on Bute's part. Let's see if he can make it last.

Veteran Bika is exposing Bute's very ackward style.

I hate the crowd. They exaggerate everytime Bute lands a shot,... even a soft jab.

C'mon Bika one more headbutt I have the under...please!

Bute kind of reminds me of an unpolished Calzaghe

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Originally Posted by BoomBoom

Bute kind of reminds me of an unpolished Calzaghe

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I know what you mean, he looks like the old calzaghe that beaten Eubank, but less slick.