(Credit: Vincent Ethier / InterBox) MONTREAL, April 7th 2016 – A press conference to discuss the WBC super-middleweight world championship bout between Lucian Bute and Badou Jack was held Wednesday at the Bell Centre La Cage – Brasserie sportive restaurant In Montreal. Here is what the participants had to say.
Lucian Bute
Former IBF super middleweight world champion
(Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp/Mayweather Promotions) WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 4, 2016) – WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack and former world champion Lucian Bute hosted a media roundtable on Friday night to discuss their championship showdown taking place Saturday, April 30 from the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. and live on SHOWTIME.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with IBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale defending his title against top contender and Mexican brawler Rogelio Medina.
NEW YORK (March 28, 2016) – A three-fight series to crown a unified divisional champion will begin on Saturday, April 30, when WBC 168-pound champion Badou Jack defends his title against former longtime titlist Lucian Bute, and IBF Champion James DeGale risks his belt against mandated challenger Rogelio Medina in a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from the DC Armory in Washington D.C.
Rival super-middleweight champions James De Gale and Badou Jack want to fight one another in a unification clash, and the plan is for the two 168-pounders to meet later this year. But first the two will co-headline a Showtime card on April 30th. Southpaw DeGale will face Rogelio Medina, 36-6(30) while Jack will face what looks like a far stiffer challenge in former champ Lucian Bute, 32-3(25).
IBF 168 lb champion, James DeGale, has restated his intention to press on with plans for a unification fight with WBC belt holder, Badou Jack, in the wake of the Londoner’s hard-fought points victory of veteran former champion, Lucian Bute at the weekend.
After a fast start to the fight, ‘Chunky’ had to battle through an aggressive and gutsy showing from a seemingly reinvigorated Bute, who at 35, showed he isn’t a spent force just yet, with the Brit eventually taking the fight over the stretch by UD scores of 117-111 (x2) and 116-112 that were perhaps a little wide for some observers.
IBF super-middleweight champion, James DeGale says he is pleading with advisor Al Haymon to set up a big money fight with WBC champion, Badou Jack after he dispatches Lucien Bute in Quebec on Saturday night.
DeGale takes on a 35-year old Bute, who, along with long-sidelines through injury, is no longer considered to be the fighter and former champion he once was, especially since being dispatched in five ruthless rounds by Carl Froch in 2012, and while ‘Chunky’ says he isn’t overlooking his hometown opponent, he definitely has one eye on bigger fights.
WBC super-middleweight champion, Badou Jack, has stated that he is keen on a unification fight with Britain’s IBF champion, James DeGale in the future, though has admitted he may end up fighting Julio Cesar Chavez Jr first.
Jack recently beat DeGale’s bitter rival George Groves in Las Vegas on the Floyd Mayweather/Andre Berto bill, and is keen to get his hands on the Beijing 2008 gold medalist for a unification next year, provided ‘Chunky’ gets past Canada’s Lucien Bute on Nov. 28 first.
Badou Jack “The Ripper” (20-1-1, 12 KOs) successfully defended his WBC Super Middleweight World title with a hard-fought, crowd-pleasing 12-round majority decision over mandatory challenger “Saint” George Groves (21-3, 16 KOs). Jack, who dropped Groves late in the first round, triumphed by the scores of 116-111, 115-112 and 113-114. The hard-luck Groves, who abruptly fled the ring in disbelief after the announcement, fell to 0-3 in world title fights. Jack was impressive in what may have been his toughest fight to date.
BADOU JACK
“I’m very excited for this fight. We had a tremendous camp. We’re ready to go. I don’t talk much. I’m all about fighting.
“Groves is absolutely not in my head. I’m focused and mentally strong on my task at hand. I won my biggest fight that I’ve had up to date, he didn’t. He has had two shots at the title and has lost them both.
“Groves got famous for getting knocked out by Carl Froch. He’s a good fighter, but I’m very comfortable that I’m going to beat him.
(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) LAS VEGAS (Sept. 8, 2015) – The countdown to “HIGH STAKES: Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs. Andre Berto” continued Tuesday afternoon as Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto made their Grand Arrivals at MGM Grand in Las Vegas before their fight this Saturday, Sept. 12 live on SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. E/5 p.m. PT) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
In what is expected to be the final fight of his illustrious 19-year career, boxing superstar and pound-for-pound king Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) will put his undefeated record and WBC and WBA Welterweight World Championships on the line against power-punching, two-time welterweight world champion Berto (30-3, 23 KOs).