Quote Originally Posted by RozzySean View Post
I have a hard time picking Froch over Bute, but I would make him a very live underdog. Bute would clearly outpoint him, but Froch would certainly have the chance absorb lots of abuse and gut his way to stopping Bute.

Unfortunately for Froch, I think that Andrade's body attack had a lot to do with Bute slowing down enough for Andrade to catch him. Froch isn't the body puncher that Andrade is, though he does some other things much better. Also, Bute has shown that he can punch a little. He KO'd Zuniga pretty quickly and Zuniga takes a pretty good punch.

I don't think Bute would clearly outpoint him at all. Jermain Taylor didn't clearly outpoint him. Froch was catching up all the time and had it gone to the cards he would lost a split decision on the official cards, drawn on Al Bernsteins card and drawn on one and won on the two press row cards according to Showtime.

So of 7 cards, 3 official judges, and 4 expert pundits Froch would have won on 3, drawn on 2 and lost on 2 had it gone to points.

And that's against Jermain Taylor, a former undisputed middleweight champ who twice defeated Bernard Hopkins. I don't consider Lucian Bute to have fought and beaten anything like the competition Taylor has and he very nearly came unstuck against Librado Andrade last time out, a guy who was 1-14 as an amatuer.

Just becuase Froch had a bad start against the best, quickest and slickest pure boxer in the supermiddleweight division doesn't mean he can only hope to win fights by knockout from now on.

Froch's power could force Bute into his shell and even if he lasted the distance Froch could win a clear decision.