It would/will be interesting to see how a Ring Magazine website poll of experts shapes up for next Tuesday’s four-belt bantamweight unification showdown between Naoya Inoue and Paul Butler. As fans know, the folks at “The Bible of Boxing” always get busy compiling such a poll whenever a big fight looms. But is Inoue Vs. Butler a big fight?
It’s huge for huge underdog Butler, and Inoue really does want that fourth belt; this the WBO strap Butler currently holds. Next week’s fight is definitely one well worth tuning in for, poll of experts or no. However, the action might not last too long, seeing how “The Monster” is a seriously scary puncher, this with either hand, to both head and body. Butler, 34-2(15), spoke to RingTV.com about his chances, and the 34-year-old, who has been stopped just once in his pro career, said that if he makes it past the sixth round, he wins the fight in Tokyo.
“I believe I’m in the form of my life,” Butler told Ring. “I’m training the best I’ve ever trained, and training camp and sparring has gone that well – that if I do get the game plan off and the power’s not as big as everyone is making out, and I can take the shot, I believe we get him late, and we push him, and we keep pushing him. I do believe that if he hasn’t got me out of there within six rounds, I win the fight.”
Butler, who says he feels Inoue, 23-0(20) is deserving of the pound-for-pound number-one spot, says he is “not stupid,” that he knows the enormity of the task in front of him. And Butler is a smart boxer, a technical boxer, as Inoue himself has pointed out; with the 29-year-old suggesting, he may have to go rounds in this one. And Butler says some fighters “were beat before they got in the ring” with Inoue, as was the case in “the Mike Tyson days.”
Paul Butler says he fears no man, and it seems we can take him at his word on that. With ace trainer Joe Gallagher having no doubt come up with a game plan sufficient to score the monster upset, Butler’s chances cannot be written off. But here’s the big question – can Butler get through those first six rounds with Inoue? Can Butler either avoid Inoue’s killer shots or can he somehow take them if they do land?
Butler is in Japan to fight; he is not there to lay down. But Inoue won’t care about any of that when the bell rings. It is tough to see Butler lasting as long as six rounds, let alone winning the fight. As easy as it is to root for him.
Prediction: Inoue by KO inside four rounds.