West Palm Beach, Tuesday April 24th 2012 – The International Boxing Federation (IBF) Super middleweight champion, Lucian Bute met the press on Monday April 23rd at West Palm Beach, Florida.
Here the quotes of Lucian Bute and his trainer, Stephan Larouche.
Lucian Bute
• By saying yes to fight Carl Froch in his hometown, I’m showing the world that I can fight anybody anywhere. I expect a tough fight; I’m working harder at the gym to be ready physically and mentally. I’m really looking forward to defend my Title for the tenth time. it’s going to be an amazing experience!
• I started my training camp about 7 weeks ago and now with just under 5 weeks remaining my training going very well. I am exactly where I should be. The sparring is started too, I have good sparring partners and I’m satisfied.
• While training we recreate the atmosphere of what we expect to hear at the Capital FM Arena of Nottingham. I can’t hear the bell and I can’t even hear my coach talking to me. On May 26th, I will be ready to face not only Carl Froch but also the hostile atmosphere of Froch’s fans!
• I am training in West Palm Beach again for this fight. My team takes me out of my comfort zone every training session. In the coming weeks I will work extra at the gym and during sparring. I am training for a 12 round war so I am sure to have all the energy required to fight Carl Froch in his hometown.
• My objective is to win the fight and stay World champion. I don’t target the KO but if it comes I will jump all over it. A KO would be a terrific ending to my fight.
Lucian’s trainer, Stephan Larouche quotes
• We had a good start to training camp in February. We are now well into the second phase and concentrating on specific aspects of preparation. The sparring started 3 weeks ago. We leave Florida around mid-May and then travel to England to acclimate, finalize preparations and add the finishing touches before the fight.
• We fully expect Lucian to experience some discomfort on May 26th. Fighting in England will be difficult for him. Winning in Europe as the opposing boxer almost never happens. We recognize we have a huge challenge in front of us but we do have a huge advantage: We are the champion!
• This training camp is much like every other. However, the psychological preparation is different. We started this camp as if we were the challenger. On the evening of May 26th in Nottingham, Lucian will have to play the spoiler. Most of the fans in attendance will be against him. Nobody there other than a few fans will want him to win. This is the first time that Lucian will live this experience. Lucian will have to work harder than he does for his fights in Quebec and if he does, at the end of the evening, he will be the hero of the crowd.
• Carl Froch has many strengths and we have to neutralize them all, as Andre Ward did last December. Froch has an awkward style. Lucian should expect to be hit from unconventional angles: From below, sideways, etc. Rest assured we are training to adapt to all situations.
Tickets for Bute vs. Froch are on sale now priced £80 and £150 from the Capital FM Arena Nottingham website www.capitalfmarena.com and on 08444 124624 – £40, £60, £100 and £200 tickets have sold-out, as have the VIP packages priced at £300.
The event will be aired by EPIX in the United States, SKY Sports in England, PPV in Canada (Canal Indigo, Bell TV and SHAW) and live in more than 20 countries across the world, including the Spain, Germany, Russia, Japan and in Scandinavia.
All-Philly Rivalries Renewed May 12 in Newtown, PA
Newtown, PA—Philadelphia is known for having the best inter-city rivalries and the tradition continues in Newtown. The New Ray Robinson, of Philadelphia, squares off with Terrance Cauthen, of Trenton, NJ, in an eight-round welterweight contest on Saturday evening, May 12, at the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC), 120 Pheasant Run, Newtown, PA.
The seven-fight card is stacked with Philadelphia fighters who either come from fighting families or who are building their own legacies.
An all-Philadelphia lightweight bout between Tevin Farmer, of the Martin Luther King Rec Center, and Kareem Cooley, of the Joe Hand Gym, has fans buzzing. Farmer reminds you of a typical blue-collar fighter, a guy with a record of 4-3-1, 1 K0. His most impressive win came Jan. 13 at the National Guard Armory when he earned a six-round decision over another Philadelphian, Tim Witherspoon, Jr., who was 6-1-1 at the time. The left-handed Farmer then put up a great effort against undefeated Kamil Laszczyk on March 24 in Atlantic City. Laszczyk, who was 7-0, 5 K0s, at the time, scored a hard-fought six-round decision. Farmer has the right attitude—he is willing to step in the ring with anyone and put it all on the line.
Cooley is just 2-1, 1 K0, and has not fought since his four-round decision win over Eliud Torres, of Allentown, PA, on Oct. 8, 2010. Most current fighters would ask for a tune-up fight. Not Cooley! He is not looking for an easy fight, just a fair one. Cooley is the more tactical fighter of the two and, since styles make fights, this should be a good one. The MLK Rec Center is located in North Philadelphia and the Joe Hand Gym is located in Northern Liberties, so it’s time for a neighborhood showdown.
Also fighting on May 12 is junior middleweight Jimmy Lowry Jr., (right), son of the late Jimmy Lowry Sr. Lowry, Jr., of North Philadelphia, trains in the same gym where current WBC Junior Welterweight champion Danny Garcia got his start–the Harrowgate Boxing Gym.
Garcia: “R.I.P. Jim Lowry. He was a great man and trainer. He schooled me to game since I was 10. He made me believe in myself when I didn’t as a kid.” Garcia was just one of many fighters Senior influenced. It is Junior’s time to shine and give back to his family the legacy that his father started.
Every neighborhood in Philadelphia is getting involved. Light-heavyweights Amir Shabazz, of the James Shuler Memorial Gym in West Philadelphia, and Maurice Amaro, of the Marian Anderson Rec Center in South Philadelphia, meet in a four-rounder. Shabazz is 1-0 and coming off a 16-month layoff due to injury. Amaro is 1-5 and has made a career out of facing undefeated fighters. Shabazz represents Amaro’s fourth undefeated opponent.
Outstanding amateur Hasan Young makes his pro debut on the undercard in a junior welterweight match. Young recently fought in the PA Golden Gloves, but a loss to Damon Allen eliminated him from the tournament. He should do well as a professional.
ABOUT MAY 12
The Robinson-Cauthen fight tops an eight-bout card at the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC). First fight is 7.30 pm. Tickets priced at $50, $75, and $100 are on sale at the offices of Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922), www.peltzboxing.com and at the Newtown Athletic Club. The card is being promoted by Bam Boxing Promotions, Inc., in association with the NAC.
Please visit our site www.bamboxingpromotions.com and sign up for our mailing list to find out about our future events!
Directions to the NAC from Philadelphia. Take I-95N/Trenton to the PA-332W/Yardley Newtown Rd exit. Turn left onto PA-332W/Yardley Newtown Rd. for about 2 miles. Turn Right at Penns Trail, destination will be on the left.
IRISH INVASION FACT SHEET
Featuring
Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland
Undefeated World Boxing Federation (WBF) Super Featherweight Champion
Mid-Hudson Civic Center ● Poughkeepsie, NY ● May 12, 2012
“IRISH INVASION” FACT SHEET
Hyland-Snooki-Lederman
“IRISH INVASION” PRESS CONFERENCE
PATRICK “The Punisher” HYLAND, Undefeated WBF Super Featherweight Champion
NICOLE “Snooki” POLIZZI, Team Snooki Boxing, Star of MTV’s “Jersey Shore”
HAROLD LEDERMAN, HBO Boxing Judge
FIRST BOUT: 7:30 PM/ET
WHAT: “Irish Invasion” Professional Boxing Card
WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 2012
WHERE: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
PROMOTER: Final Round Promotions, in association with Team Snooki Boxing and Bob Duffy’s Ring Promotions, sponsored in part by title boxing
TICKETS: $35.00, $50.00 and $100 (Gold Ringside) – available to purchase at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center and through all Ticketmaster outlets
INFORMATION: www.finalroundpromotions.com
DOORS OPEN: 6:30 PM/ET