Matchroom Sport can confirm that the IBF have made Carl Froch the mandatory challenger to Lucian Bute’s and his super-middleweight title. The former two-time WBC champion had been linked to a “home and away” clash with Bute and now the 34 year-old looks set to challenge the Canadian for the title after the IBF installed him as the number one contender for the belt.
Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that he has been in constant and constructive talks with Bute’s Interbox team since Froch completed his Super Six Boxing Classic journey in the final against Andre Ward in December, and he hopes that the projected two-legged contests between the pair could begin in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham in May.
“I’m delighted that Carl has been installed as the mandatory for Lucien Bute’s next bout,” said Hearn. “Positive discussions have been ongoing with Interbox since the Super Six final and we hope to get this fight made. It is Carl’s dream to have his next fight in the UK and that is something very important to both of us. After recent discussions, I believe we can bring Lucian here in May and we will be happy to give him the rematch in Canada once Carl has taken the IBF title from him.”
Colombian welterweight Samuel Vargas New Canadian Welterweight Champion
TORONTO (February 14, 2012) – Colombian-born boxer Samuel Vargas has found a home in Mississauga, Ontario, where he packed the house last Saturday night and captured the Canadian welterweight title, knocking out dangerous Manolis Plaitis at Hershey Centre.
Vargas-Plaitis headlined a stellar card presented by United Promotions in association with Hennessy Sports.
Vargas (9-0-1, 3 KOs), who was a refugee before moving to Mississauga, is starting to make noise in boxing circles. Coming off of the 2011 Canadian Fight of the Year, in which he battled last October at home with Quebec arch-rival Ahmad Cheikho, Samuel put Cheikho’s Quebec-based stable-mate Plaitis (17-2-1, 8 KOs), to sleep at 2:49 of the opening in an early Knockout of the Year candidate.
In his last two fights, Vargas has shown surprising power, stopping former Canadian light welterweight champion Plaitis and Cheikho in consecutive fights, after Samuel went the full distance in seven straight fights after his 2010 pro debut. Vargas’ last two victories have also given his Ontario ‘team” a decisive advantage over Quebec in the providences’ ongoing rivalry.
Where has his power come from? “I just keep learning every fight,” the soft-spoken fighter explained. “I didn’t have a long amateur career and I’ve learned how to throw a good punch. All of my improvements and added power are thanks to my trainer, Billy Martin.
“Because of where I came from, through all of the struggles, this fight meant much more to me than winning my first title belt. This country means so much to me. I can’t put into words what winning this Canadian belt really means to me. This was a great accomplishment because of the long road I’ve taken. There were a lot of people there cheering my name. It was exciting.
“You know, I love Montreal. Four of my first five pro fights were there. The people are very nice, but, right now I don’t think they like me too. Hey, that’s boxing.”
“Samuel Vargas is a legitimate rising star in boxing, not just in Canada,” his promoter Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports) commented. “Fans just love watching him fight. Why not? In his last two fights, he’s turned in the 2011 Canadian Fight of the Year and possible 2012 Knockout of the Year. Samuel is our ace in the hole against Quebec fighters.”
Popular Ajax (Ontario) middleweight and another fan favorite, Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook (5-0, 2 KOs), won a bloody unanimous six-round decision (60-54, 59-55, 58-56) in an entertaining co-feature against upset specialist Chris Aucoin (4-6-1). Both fighters left considerable blood on the mat and kept fans screaming throughout the bout. Cook is co-promoted by Hennessy Sports and Buxton promotions.
Go on line to www.hennessysports.com for more information about the Feb. 11 show, its fighters and upcoming events.
Pegada Explosiva, Montes vs. Ibarra For WBF World Title
In what promises to be an exciting and fan-friendly fight, fellow Mexicans Juan Jose Montes and Oscar Ibarra will clash for the vacant World Boxing Federation World Super Flyweight Championship at the Coliseo Olimpico de la UG in Guadalajara on February 25, on a show promoted by Hector Garcia and his HG Boxing.
Both boxers fight in the characteristic come-forward-style that Mexican boxers are known for, both are young and hungry, and both have significant power in their punches, so it seems unlikely that this will be anything but a fantastic fight for the fans to watch.
Now 22 years old, Juan Jose “Goofy” Montes (21-2, 14 KOs) has been a pro since he was only seventeen years old. He won his first seven bouts by stoppage before suffering a setback against Jesus Ceja at the very same venue as he will face Ibarra for the WBF World title.
Montes emerged victories from his next twelve fights, won various regional titles along the way, and defeated several top-class opponents, such as the undefeated Jose Salgado (18-0) whom he impressively knocked out in two rounds, to line up a shot at WBC World Champion Tomas Rojas last year.
In what was not one of his best nights in the ring, Montes retired before the start of the twelfth round against Rojas but gained valuable experience that he will try to utilize in his second shot at a world crown against Ibara. Since losing to Rojas, Montes has come back with two emphatic knockout victories, and believes he is better prepared this time to come out on top.
Just like his opponent on the 25th, Oscar Ibarra (27-5, 18 KOs) has won several regional belts, but unlike Montes he has yet to fight for a world title. After winning thirteen of his first fourteen fights, Ibarra had a horrific 2008, losing three of his four bouts that year.
But from the beginning of 2009 the now 26 year old from Mexico City turned things around and won thirteen straight to establish himself as a world-class operator.
There is always a lot of local pride on the line when Mexicans fight each other, and especially when they fight for a world title. But there are never any guarantees that a fight will be entertaining. However, some pairings come as close as is possible to a guarantee, and Montes vs. Ibarra is such a match-up. It is bound to be explosive!
www.worldboxingfederation.net