Former super-middleweight world champion, Lucian Bute, claims he is more than focused on his bid to reclaim his old title, meeting current IBF 168 lb belt holder, James DeGale on Saturday night in Quebec, and warning that the pressure is all on the Londoner.
DeGale is travelling to Bute’s Quebec backyard for the maiden defence of his title; his second fight in North America, having won his title in the US back in May against Andre Dirrell.
(Photo credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME) QUEBEC CITY, Canada (Nov. 25, 2015) – Boldly predicting at least a sixth-round finish against hometown favorite Lucian Bute, a confident James DeGale held his IBF Super Middleweight World Championship belt high over his head during the main event press conference in advance of Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event.
“Gonna be six rounds, but it may be three,” DeGale repeated over and over as the fighters concluded their final shots for a packed room of media members on Wednesday at the Le Bonne Entente Hotel. DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs), from London, England, defends against the popular former 168-pound world champion Bute (32-2, 25 KOs), of Montreal, this Saturday from the Vidéotron Centre in Quebec City, live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
(Photo Credit: Frank Coppi/Matchroom Boxing) LONDON (Nov. 16, 2015) – Two days before he departs for Canada, IBF Super Middleweight World Champion James “Chunky” DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) held an open media workout at the Stonebridge Boxing Club in London as he nears completion of a 10-plus week training camp for his title defense against former world champion and Canadian fan favorite, Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs), of Montreal, on Saturday, Nov. 28, live on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT) from the Vidéotron Centre of Quebec City.
The event billed as “THE RECLAMATION” is a presentation of Vidéotron in collaboration with Mise-O-Jeu.
Former IBF super middleweight champion Lucien Bute, has insisted he was surprised at James DeGale’s decision to travel to his Quebec backyard on Nov. 28 to make the maiden defence of the belt he won in Boston back in May.
IBF champion, DeGale, will be giving the now 35 year old Bute a golden opportunity to win his old belt back – a title he held for 9 successive defences before travelling to the UK himself in 2012 and being destroyed by hometown hero Carl Froch.
IBF super-middleweight champion, James DeGale, is relishing the task of beating former champion Lucien Bute in his Canadian backyard on November 28, claiming that when he does so he wants the big names in the division next.
DeGale, newly signed to Al Haymon and coming off of his triumphant title win over Andre Dirrell in Boston back in May, is venturing out of the UK once again to fight the 35 year old Bute, who was knocked out by Carl Froch back in 2012 and is fighting to save his career against the Beijing 2008 gold medalist.
Former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch may well be one of the most perfectly placed to speak on IBF 168 lb champ, James DeGale’s next opponent, Lucien Bute, and claims today in his Sky Sports column that the Romanian simply isn’t the same fighter that he was before being “Cobra’d” by Froch in 2012.
Froch was fantastic that night in his hometown, entering at the time as a slight underdog and facing the cold reality that a defeat could really put the skids on his career at elite level, as he’d just come off being soundly beaten by Andre Ward in the final of the Super Six and was thus, belt-less.
It’s been officially confirmed that Britain’s IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale, will indeed face Canadian-based Romanian Lucien Bute on November 28th in Quebec, Canada.
The British former Olympic gold medalist is newly ‘advised’ by Al Haymon, and will be making the maiden defence of the title he won back in May by scalping Andre Dirrell in Boston, in doing so becoming the first British gold medal winning Olympian in history to go on and win a world title in the professional ranks.
Canada based Romanian former super-middleweight champion Lucien Bute is still the most realistic next opponent for Britain’s IBF 168 lb champion, James DeGale, with a mid-late November date likely.
It emerged last week that talks had begun for a November 14th meeting in Bute’s Quebec backyard for what will be DeGale’s maiden defence of the title he won in a history making effort in May against Andre Dirrell on Premier Boxing Champions, although an exact date has yet to be pinned down.
Former IBF 168lb champ Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) came out on top tonight in defeating Italy’s Andrea Di Luisa (17-3, 13 KOs) by a 4th round TKO after Di Luisa’s corner threw in the towel in the 4th round at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.
Bute knocked the 33-year-old, Ink-covered Di Luisa down with a left to the head in the 4th. Di Luisa got to his feet at the count of 8. When asked if he was okay, Di Luisa appeared to shake his head. The referee let it continue anyway. Moments later, Di Luisa’ corner threw in the towel and the fight was halted at 1:53 of the round. Bute was slightly hurt by a left hand from Di Luisa before the knockdown. The shot had Bute backing up, but he wasn’t badly hurt but he clearly was stunned by the shot from the Italian fighter.