Unbeaten IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute will put his title on the line on Saturday night against the human punching machine Librado Andrade at the Bell Centre, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The fight in many ways mirrors Andrade’s losing effort against WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler in March 2007, a fight in which Andrade lost every round and was never in the fight. Bute, formerly from Romania, fights in a similar style as Kessler, moving well on the outside, retreating when attacked and very sound offensively.

Andrade usually tries to overwhelm his opponents with punches, throwing more than 100 punches per round, and it’s usually quite effective. In his fight with Kessler, Andrade wasn’t able to get his punches off because Kessler rarely stayed on one place for any length of time, as he stayed on the move and kept a stiff jab in Andrade’s face most of the fight. Most boxing experts seem Bute as a more watered down version of Kessler, but if he’s anything close to him on Saturday night, he’ll probably be able to handle Andrade without too many problems.

However, this is a big step up for Bute, who has faced good opponents, like Alejandro Berrio, Sakio Bika and William Joppy, but none quite in the class of number #1 ranked Andrade. Bute usually is able to dictate the pace of his fights with his opponents, stalking them around the ring and hitting them with jabs and straight lefts. He retreats whenever attacked, making it difficult to land any significant blows against him. However, as Berrio showed, Bute can be hit when he comes wading in with his attacks.

He often keeps his hands by his sides, and seems too confident for his own good, getting nailed occasionally. It’s hard to imagine that he’ll be able to retreat around the ring for 12-rounds without being cornered by Andrade. Bute can be trapped when he retreats, because he runs around the ring and can be cornered against the ropes. He usually tries to shove his opponent, and side step them to get away, but if Andrade can cut off his retreat paths and force him to fight, Bute doesn’t have the offensive skills to win a one on one war with Andrade. However, Andrade has to ensure that he doesn’t let up on Bute, and that he forced him to fight hard the entire time, because when Bute is able to get space and move around the ring, he’s very hard to beat.

RAMOS TO FACE VAZQUEZ THIS FRIDAY – “NEW BLOOD II” CLOSE TO COMPLETE SELL OUT!

Hot lightweight prospect Luis Ramos will now face Sadot Vazquez as he looks for his sixth victory of 2008 this coming Friday, October 24th, when Thompson Boxing Promotions presents “New Blood II” at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.

Ramos (7-0, 5 KOs), a hard-hitting southpaw from Santa Ana, will now square off against his toughest test to date in Dallas’ Sadot Vazquez (4-3-2, 1 KO) in a six round main event.

A former amateur star, the 20-year old Ramos has been unstoppable as a pro and he has truly upped his game in 2008, winning all five of his fights, with his last three victories coming by way of knockout. In his last bout, on September 26th, Ramos needed only 2:30 to halt 20-fight veteran Celestino Rodriguez.

Hailing from Fort Worth, Texas, Vazquez has not taken the easy route in his pro career thus far, and having already faced five undefeated fighters, he will not be intimidated by the zero on the end of Ramos’ slate. In fact, the 30-year old would like to be the first to put an L on the youngster’s record on October 24th.

For tickets to “New Blood II”, a five-bout card of hard-hitting professional boxing, please call 714-935-0900. Tickets are priced at $75, $45, and $30.

The Doubletree Hotel – Ontario is located at 222 N. Vineyard Avenue. Doors open at 6:30pm, and the first bell is at 7:45pm.

Also strapping on the mitts in a lightweight contest will be Carson’s Daniel Hernandez (2-0, 2 KOs) and San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Miguel Rivera (0-2), who will meet in a four round bout.

In welterweight action, it’s an all-California battle when former WBC Youth Champion Michael Santos (12-4-1, 7 KOs) of Los Angeles returns to the ring for the first time since 2006 to take on El Monte’s Santiago Perez (10-2-2, 2 KOs) in a pivotal eight rounder.

The first two bouts of the evening will be four rounders in the super bantamweight division that pit California warriors against their counterparts from Puerto Rico. 1-0 Los Angeles product Walter Sarnoi will battle debuting Jonathan De Jesus of San Juan in one matchup, and in the other, Santa Ana’s Ronny Rios squares off against San Juan’s Fermin Perez in a clash of debuting 122 pounders.

U.S. OLYMPIAN MIDDLEWEIGHT SHAWN ESTRADA SIGNS WITH GOOSSEN TUTOR PROMOTIONS

Los Angeles, CA (October 20, 2008) – LA-based promoter Dan Goossen – whose accomplishments have included the signings of the most talented and last two Americans to win Olympic Gold Medals – has reached a promotional deal with 2008 Olympic middleweight Shawn Estrada.

Goossen, President of Goossen Tutor Promotions, previously guided the career of Philadelphia’s David Reid – the Olympic Gold Medal winner in the 156-lb class in the 1996 games in Atlanta – to a World Light Middleweight Championship, and currently promotes 2004 Olympic Gold medalist Andre Ward, a native of Oakland, California who is undefeated (16-0, 11 KOs) and holds the NABO Super Middleweight title, while very close to challenging for a World Championship.

Goossen didn’t have to look as far away as Philadelphia or even Oakland to sign his newest Olympian, as the 23-year old Estrada – managed by Bravo Boxing Management (Arnulfo Bravo, Don Morandini and Eric Scholnick) and trained by Rodrigo Mosquera and co-trained by Arnulfo Bravo – hails from nearby East Los Angeles.

Millions of viewers, who watched the 23-year old Estrada in the recent Beijing Olympics, witnessed a courageous performance under extremely adverse circumstances by this heavy-hearted young boxer. It was the dream of Juan Estrada to see his son, Shawn, compete in the Olympics. However, failing health prohibited the elder Estrada from traveling to Beijing. While able to watch his son on television handily defeat his Argentine opponent in his opening bout – Juan’s condition deteriorated by the time of Shawn’s second round match with Great Britain’s James Degale, and he was unable to watch the bout. Shawn lost a decision to the eventual 165-pound Gold medalist that night, and his adoring father passed away the next morning.

“We are very excited to be part of a tough and talented local young fighter of Shawn’s caliber and character,” Goossen stated. “His Olympic story was a compelling — and heartbreaking — one and, to be able to compose himself to get into the ring in Beijing speaks volumes as to his heart and dedication. Over the past 12 years we have promoted the two best American Olympic boxers — both gold medalists — and we strongly believe that Shawn has the desire and ability to achieve the heights of success afforded elite Gold medalists in the professional ranks.

“I am very excited signing and working with Goossen Tutor,” Estrada beamed. “My manager Bravo used to fight for the Goossens and was trained by Joe Goossen. He advised me that Goossen Tutor Promotions can take me to the top. I can’t wait to make my pro debut and see all my fans cheering me on.”

“From day one with Shawn I knew that he had potential to be an Olympian and an even better professional boxer,” Bravo offered. “That’s because he had a pro style and could punch with both hands, which was better suited for the pros rather than the Olympic scoring system. He is a boxer-puncher; he possesses the entire package of offense and defense. He can box with you or knock you out with either hand. And, at 6-1, he is a big, strong middleweight. He has potential of being a world champion moved right.

“And we believe that Goossen Tutor can do that for him. They know this market better than any other promoter and Dan has had a lot of world champions and has been bringing young fighters to the top for many years. They are very high on Shawn being one of the top dogs at Goossen Tutor. I’m impressed at the way they moved David Reid and are moving Andre Ward now. They know what they are doing.”

“Goossen Tutor is very proud of their track-record in handling the sensitive balance of developing fighters from the ground up,” Goossen pointed out. “Even with boxers who came up short of realizing their Olympic dreams such as Michael Nunn, and Mike Tyson, who were 1984 Olympic alternates, their ascension in the professional ranks were handled as if they were the elite Gold medalists.”

“Knowing the dedication Shawn has in reaching his goal of becoming a World Champion will make working with him and his management team a delight so that our combined efforts can support Shawn in realizing his full potential and dreams.”

A press conference will be held this Wednesday announcing Shawn’s professional debut.