By Michael Collins: IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute’s promoter Jean Bedard of InterBox was sort of stunned when he read WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward’s comments lately made to Sports Illustrated where Ward said he was upset that Bute had decided on facing former WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch on May 26th when he was already in talks with Bute about a possible fight.
Bedard said to the QMI Agency “It’s like being revived after Easter…In fact, his nickname is ‘Son of God.’ When I first read his comments, I thought it was a joke. I never negotiated with Andre Ward. After I have not heard of him from December 18th, since his last match with Carl Froch…Now he suddenly comes to life. After his victory against Froch, Andre said that Lucian would be next…Froch wanted to fight. Anyway, it’s good news.”
Well one of them isn’t telling the truth and it’s anyone’s guess which one. However, it matters little because Ward already wanted Bute to fight a top class fighter, and Bute is doing that, albeit against a guy that had so-so performances in the Super Six tournament. Froch won his first fight against Andre Dirrell in the Super Six tournament in a questionable decision in Nottingham, and then lost to Mikkel Kessler. Froch followed that with wins over Arthur Abraham and Glen Johnson. But then Froch easily beaten in the finals of the Super six tournament. You can say Froch arguably should have come out with a 2-3 record in the tourney, with losses to Dirrell, Kessler and Ward. So Bute decides on fighting Froch instead of one of the other top super middleweights that are doing well and winning.
Bute should get by Froch, and then boxing fans will see if the fight between Ward and Bute can be made. Ward wants the fight, but he doesn’t want to have to fight Bute in Canada. As long as Bute is open to fighting in a neutral venue, the fight can be made. I don’t think Bute will do well, because Ward is a class above, but it least we’ll get to finally see who’s the top dog in the division. I’d like to see a mini tournament to find out who the #2 fighter is because there’s still question marks about who that fighter might be.