Lucian Bute next opponent will be Jesse Brinkley...

[CFH]

This is a guy who some have argued being the best at 168 and he is fighting the likes of Brinkley...........

I agree that Brinkley is far from a top-tier opponent, but, ignoring that fact that Brinkley is his mandatory, who else can Bute realistically face?

Hopkins is a high-risk, low-reward fight; Pavlik needs to start rebuilding himself in a new weight class and I doubt he wants anything to do with Bute right now; Jermaine Taylor and Jeff Lacy are shot; he's already beaten Bika and Andrade; Pascal is fighting Dawson at 175; and all the elite opponents are in the Super 6.

There's no one else for Bute to fight.

[Aussie_Egg]

I believe Daniel Geale deserves a shot at a top opponent.
He seems to be a stand up guy and has said he wants to fight any of the top guys.

[Spicoli]

A bit split on it really.I've come to like Bute alot,think he's earned his spot and risen to another level.Active champions are what this sport needs more of and while I'm not one to subscribe to the idea that a champ earns the right for a "gimme" it's good to see him climb back in...albeit against a lower circuit and vastly outclassed guy like Brinkley here.Not sure how much Bute has gone with the have to meet my mandatorys but some guys make a habit of this but Bute doesn't strike me as that...yet.He'll absolutley batter Brinkley and should then be expected to take a high profile type fight next.

[No Contest]

Brinkley isnt that bad an opponent, I'd rather see him fight Pavlik, Geale, or maybe Stieglitz. Brinkley did win the eliminator and had to wait because of the Miranda fight.

[BoxingGorilla]

I'd rather find out if he can kayo Hopkins than watch him fight Brinkley.

[Kev]

This is a guy who some have argued being the best at 168 and he is fighting the likes of Brinkley...........

I agree that Brinkley is far from a top-tier opponent, but, ignoring that fact that Brinkley is his mandatory, who else can Bute realistically face?

Hopkins is a high-risk, low-reward fight; Pavlik needs to start rebuilding himself in a new weight class and I doubt he wants anything to do with Bute right now; Jermaine Taylor and Jeff Lacy are shot; he's already beaten Bika and Andrade; Pascal is fighting Dawson at 175; and all the elite opponents are in the Super 6.

There's no one else for Bute to fight.

I'm kind of a hypocrite here as I do believe Brinkley has earned his shot. He strung a nice little win streak together and then he won the eliminator. So as Bute's mandatory he has indeed earned the right to face Bute. I know a couple months ago there were rumours he'd be forced to fight Bika to get the title shot and I felt that was wrong, you win your eliminator you get your shot, that's the way it should be.

That said I will still diss Bute for it. I actually accept he has no other options and it's just a stay busy fight, perfectly acceptable really.

But he shouldn't be the Ring Champ fighting opponents like this when Ward has just hammered Mikkel Kessler and Alan Green in successive fights.

Let him fight Brinkley, but drop him to number 1 challenger on the rankings, behind Andre Ward, the true champ.

[CFH]

This is a guy who some have argued being the best at 168 and he is fighting the likes of Brinkley...........

I agree that Brinkley is far from a top-tier opponent, but, ignoring that fact that Brinkley is his mandatory, who else can Bute realistically face?

Hopkins is a high-risk, low-reward fight; Pavlik needs to start rebuilding himself in a new weight class and I doubt he wants anything to do with Bute right now; Jermaine Taylor and Jeff Lacy are shot; he's already beaten Bika and Andrade; Pascal is fighting Dawson at 175; and all the elite opponents are in the Super 6.

There's no one else for Bute to fight.

I'm kind of a hypocrite here as I do believe Brinkley has earned his shot. He strung a nice little win streak together and then he won the eliminator. So as Bute's mandatory he has indeed earned the right to face Bute. I know a couple months ago there were rumours he'd be forced to fight Bika to get the title shot and I felt that was wrong, you win your eliminator you get your shot, that's the way it should be.

That said I will still diss Bute for it. I actually accept he has no other options and it's just a stay busy fight, perfectly acceptable really.

But he shouldn't be the Ring Champ fighting opponents like this when Ward has just hammered Mikkel Kessler and Alan Green in successive fights.

Let him fight Brinkley, but drop him to number 1 challenger on the rankings, behind Andre Ward, the true champ.

I agree 100% that he should not be the #1 ring ranked SMW. I think he has top 2/3 talent, but there is no way it shouldn't be 1. Ward 2. Kessler.... I'd probably have Bute anywhere from 3-5.