Bute Beats Andrade — Barely

bute andrade25.10.08 – By Ted Sares, Photo by Tom Casino / Showtime – After ALMOST twelve rounds of superior hand speed and ring generalship, Lucien Bute retained his Super Middleweight Crown with a twelve round UD over rugged Librado Andrade.

Bute’s win included a rare knockdown of Librado Andrade in round ten set up by one of a multitude Bute 3-punch combos that were delivered with lightening speed. Prior to the 10-8 round ten, Bute controlled the action, dictated the pace, and gave a virtual clinic in front of his adoring Montreal fans. Indeed, songs broke out during the eleventh stanza.

As for Andrade, even though he sustained a constant pummeling of sharp Bute combos, he remained dangerous throughout exhibiting his well advertised granite chin and all-around strength..

All this happened during the first eleven rounds and about 160 seconds on the fight, but then heat lightening struck in the last 35 seconds. Andrade hurt Bute, whose legs were totally gone, in the far corner with a series of heavy shots and then followed him across the ring to punish him some more and then floored him in the other corner with a brutal right.

Bute beat the count but was totally out on his feet. He was given extra time when the referee, Marlon Wright, yelled at Andrade at the five count to stay back in his corner. After several more second went by, the bell then rang ending the fight. Had those extra seconds not been given by Referee Wright, Andrade quite probably could have rushed across the ring and finished matters by knocking Bute into the next Province. Or alternatively, a Richard Steele situation might have occurred. This, of course, is conjectural. What is not conjecture, however, is that the REAL count was a lot longer than ten–maybe as long as 24 seconds.

Someone called it a “minor league action during a major league situation,” and that seemed to be what the referee did in plain sight. Make no mistake, Lucien Bute fought a great fight for most of the fight, but those last few seconds may well leave a sour taste in the mouths of serious fight fans everywhere.

Up until the end, it was a clear case of the Matador goring the Bull. But then the Bull awoke and returned the favor–and then some.