Courtesy of fightpickexperts.com

As innovative and interesting as Showtime’s Super 6 is there is one glaring omission that keeps the winner from being crowned the King of Super Middleweight division. When it was originally announced a year a go many believed Lucian Bute should of been amongst the entrants, his two fights since that have added further fuel to that fire. Bute 30, boasts a perfect 26-0(21) cementing the belief that he should of been included. The reason for his omission is differs depending on whether you believe Team Bute or Showtime. The move hasn’t been as detrimental to Bute’s career as it first appeared with HBO picking up Bute’s last two fights, which were coincidentally the most impressive of his career to date. First came the rematch with teak tough Librado Andrade who a year before had given Bute the toughest fight of his career. This time Bute triumphed when he dropped Andrade in the fourth before later in the round delivering a debilitating bodyshot that nearly broke Andrade in two. Then most recently back in April Bute was matched with swing from the fence’s Colombian KO machine Edison Miranda. Once again Bute found the perfect punch when he landed a devastating uppercut that starched Miranda in the third. This October Bute returns to action and makes the sixth defence of his IBF Super Middleweight crown against his mandatory former Contender alumini Jesse Brinkley again in front of his hometown fans who flock to the Bell Center in Montreal in there thousands. Here’s what Bute had to say.

Hello Lucian, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly can i congratulate you on a terrific performance last time out when you demolished Edison Miranda. What are your thoughts on that fight looking back in particular the ending of the fight?

Lucian Bute – I’m very proud of how i end this fight. I stay focused during all the fight even when Miranda try to distract me. I practiced that with my coach Stephan Larouche during my training camp. I also worked hard on this uppercut and it work !!

Anson Wainwright – It was reported for awhile that you were going to fight in your homeland of Romania in July. Was this ever the case, if so what happened to prevent this happening, it seemed a great idea and opportunity of your people to see you fight live? Will you look to do this at some point in the future?

Lucian Bute – We tried hard to fight in my home country but due to the economic crisis it finally won’t happen. InterBox and I work hard on this but it will happen one day!

Anson Wainwright – I believe we will see you in the fall against an as yet unnamed opponent, it must be hard to find opponents with many of the top guys involved in the Super 6? Do you have any idea who you may face and when?

Lucian Bute – It’s now confirmed, I will face Jesse Brinkley for my mandatory defence on Friday October 15th. It’s gonna be an interesting fight, I already watched some videos of him. I took him seriously, I will be well prepared as every fight.

Anson Wainwright – Much has been said on the Super 6. Your obviously a glaring omission from the tournament. What can you tell us from your point of view why you weren’t involved was?

Lucian Bute – It’s out of my control. To be not involved in the Super six give me the chance to be with HBO. They came for my last 2 fights and I’m very happy with that. I will fight the winner of the tournament to reign on my division!

Anson Wainwright – The second round of fights has just taken place, what are your thoughts on how it has gone so far? How do you see the tournament panning out?

Lucian Bute – Every fight was interesting since the beginning. I think Andre Ward will defeat Dirrell and win the tournament.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team and handlers. Who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you regularly use ahead of a fight?

Lucian Bute – During my training camp I go to Miami. I love this place, there a very nice gym (Thump GYM). I go there with my coach Stephan Larouche and Andre Kulesza, responsible for my physical condition. I’m with them since the beginning and we have a very nice relationship. My promoter is InterBox who also promote Adrian Diaconu and former World Champion Leonard Dorin and Eric Lucas. Both are retired.

Anson Wainwright – Romania isn’t to well known from a Boxing point of view, can you tell us how you first became interested in Boxing and how the love affair with boxing began? Also can you tell us a little about your career from the amateur’s?

Lucian Bute – I wasn’t interested by boxing till the age of 14 when one of my friend bring me to a boxing gym. After that it was a really love affair and I never stop training and fight. I hope to do it for many years!!! In 1999 I won the Bronze Medal at world championships, the Gold medan at Francophony Games in 2001 and represented Romania at the World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand as a Middleweight.

Anson Wainwright – How did you end up fighting in Canada, can you tell us about how this relationship started? Where are you more popular Canada or Romania?

Lucian Bute – Popular at both place’s !!!! I arrived in Canada to be a sparring partner for Eric Lucas during his preparation for his rematch with Markus Beyer. We had a plan, my promoter, my coach and I to be World Champion in 4 years and it happened.

Anson Wainwright – What are your future Boxing goals? Maybe move up to Light Heavyweight or defend your title in Romania etc

Lucian Bute – My main goal is to be recognized by everyone in boxing. I want to retire undefeated and to be immortalised at the Boxing Hall of fame.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do with your time away from Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?

Lucian Bute – To spend time with my friends and family, travelling and have a good dinner at the restaurant. I watch also football games!

Anson Wainwright – If you weren’t a boxer what would you be doing?

Lucian Bute – I don’t know! Since i’m fourteen I know I wanted to be a boxer.

Anson Wainwright – What would you like to do when you retire from Boxing?

Lucian Bute – I want to finish my master at the University and will see after. I want to stay in boxing as a fighter as long as I can.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Lucian Bute – I want to thank them very much to supported me at every fight. I’m lucky to have a huge fan base across the world and I really appreciated that. I want to give them excellent shows every fight

Thanks for your time Lucian, keep up the good work.

Thanks! It’s a pleasure

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Lucian Bute scored a third round stoppage over Edison Miranda on an explosive uppercut in front of a raucaus crowd at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada.

Bute boxed well over the first two rounds until the action heated up in the third frame. Miranda landed his best punch of the fight early in the frame when he got through with a solid straight right. That only upped Bute’s pace as he landed a nice combination that was followed by that heard turning uppercut that put Miranda on the canvas. Miranda got to his feet but staggered backwards and the fight was stopped at 1:20 of round three.

Bute, 167 lbs of Romania is now 26-0 with twenty-one knockouts. Miranda, 167 lbs of Carolina, Puerto Rico is now 33-5.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute will defend against former Middleweight title challenger Edison Miranda in April 17th in Bute’s adopted hometwon of Montreal.

“It will certainly be a pleasure for me to box again at the Bell Centre and to defend my title for the fifth time in front of my fans,” said Bute, a native of Romania based in Montreal. “I am taking Miranda very seriously. He demolished many good fighters and is a notorious puncher. I will have to keep my concentration level on high to stay champion.”

HBO will carry live coverage of the bout in the United States and hopes to pair it with Kelly Pavlik defending the middleweight championship against junior middleweight titleholder Sergio Martinez from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. Pavlik-Martinez is still in negotiations.

“This is another shot for Edison and with his new trainer, I think we’ll do fine,”Said Leon Margules, who is Miranda’s co-promoter. “We’re excited about the fight. I think he can knock Bute out. Edison wants to show he belongs with the top 168-pounders and this is a great opportunity for him.”

Stephan Larouche, Bute’s trainer, said the styles of the two fighters — Bute being the skillful boxer and Miranda the brawler — should make for an entertaining fight.

“Styles make fights. I know this is a boxing cliché, but it’s the truth,” Larouche said. “Once again we have two world-class athletes with different styles that, when mixed together, have all the ingredients to explode. The fans are in for a treat.”