By James Slater: As fans may have read, there are currently talks underway for super-middleweights Lucian Bute and Carl Froch to meet in two fights; one in Bute’s backyard of Canada, the other in Froch’s backyard of Nottingham.
The idea is that both fights will be that good, that entertaining and that hard-fought, that as many fans that tune in for fight-one will come back for more with the sequel. Froch’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, spoke with Mail on line recently, explaining more of the details surrounding the would-be deal.
“We’re speaking to Bute’s people about a two-fight deal: April 14 in Montreal and then the end of July or early August in Nottingham. My big concern is that I want a home fight for Carl. I will only do that fight with Bute if we get the home and away part agreed. They are up for that.”
Two potential thrillers between the reigning IBF 168-pound champ and the former two-time WBC king – what’s not to like!? The only snag would be if the first fight were either a lopsided points win for either man or worse, a quick KO blow-out. Why would the fans want to see a second fight in this case? Hearn is well aware of this potential problem, as he explained:
“The way around it is to put something in the contract that says, for example, if there is a KO within six-rounds, there will be no return match. If it is a points decision wider than six rounds, there is no rematch. They will make us an offer this week, probably, and then we’ll look at the money.”
I for one would love to see 31-year-old Bute, 30-0(24) and 34-year-old Froch, 28-2(20) get it on. I’m pretty sure the fight would be exciting, and I’m also of the belief that the fight would be close enough and competitive enough to warrant a rematch. Froch has had trouble with movers, but in a rumble, like the ones he had with Jean Pascal and Mikkel Kessler, “The Cobra” has proven he can war with anyone. I can see Bute and Froch having such a war. Both men are tough and durable, therefore aside from a body shot KO, I don’t see a stoppage.
The only other problem I can think of is that the first fight could be so damaging, so draining to both men, that they would not have too much left to offer in a return a mere three or four months later. But style-wise there is no doubt: Froch Vs. Bute would be a FOTY candidate. The winner – if there is an outright winner who picks up two victories (and in all honesty I can picture these two being tied up at 1-1 after the smoke has cleared) – would be a massive star of the division.
Bute missed out on The “Super Six” Froch did so well in, but “Le Tombeur” is close to engaging in a Mano-a-Mano mini-tourney with “The Cobra!”