Is Pavlik next for Bute?
November 29th, 2009
By Chris Williams: It’s looking like International Boxing Federation super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (25-0, 20 KO’s) could be facing WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (35-1, 31 KO’s) next if HBO is able to set this fight up, and, of course, as long as Pavlik gets by his next opponent Miguel Angel Espino on December 19th. Bute, 29, stopped Librado Andrade in the 4th round last night in an impressive performance at the Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, in Canada.
Pavlik was supposed to fight light middleweight Paul Williams on December 5th, but an infection on Pavlik’s left hand made it necessary for him to postpone the fight. Rather than waiting around for Pavlik’s hand to heal, Williams decided to stay busy and fight Sergio Martinez instead. If Pavlik does agree to fight Bute, this would appear to be a bad match up for Pavlik, much worse than the Williams fight. At least with Williams, he would be standing directly in front of Pavlik all night trying to trade shots.
Bute is the total opposite of that. He likes to get in and get out and use quick combinations before retreating. In other words, Bute is like a younger, faster version of Bernard Hopkins, who easily beat Pavlik by a one-sided unanimous decision in October 2008. Hopkins didn’t even have to use a lot of movement, because Pavlik just looked confused and slow, unable to deal with the fast combinations from the 43-year-old Hopkins.
Pavlik has been talking about fighting the winner of the Martinez-Williams bout. But the Bute fight could bring in a bigger payday for Pavlik, in theory. The Canadian audiences would surely like to see Bute vs. Pavlik, even if the American fans might not be all that crazy about the fight because many of them aren’t all that familiar with Bute. Never the less, this would be a very tough fight for Pavlik to win.
Pavlik would likely have his hands full against Librado Andrade, who with his tough chin and high punch output, would give Pavlik all kinds of problems. Andrade was dropped twice last night by shots from Bute, but it was more of a case of Andrade not seeing the fast shots coming rather than Bute landing big shots.
Pavlik, if he’s smart, will opt for the Martinez-Williams winner instead. Either of those fighters will be very tough for the mostly one-paced, one dimensional Pavlik, but at least he’d have a small chance of beating them. Against Bute, it would a case of Pavlik fighting someone out of his class both in terms of speed and size. Bute has a bigger frame and much faster hands. He’s also a southpaw who has a tricky fighting style.
Tags: 9 Responses to “Is Pavlik next for Bute?”
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Pavlik is a middle-weight and should stay there until it becomes difficult to make middle. Pavlik should concentrate on dominating the middle-weight division. Bute vs Alan Green or Edison Miranda would be interesting for now… until the winner of the super six comes out.
Kelly Pavlik vs. Paul Williams in 2010 and then if Pavlik beats Paul then a fight with Bute’ has to happen but for now Bute’ vs. Bika would be good to see at 168 and Sakio is the IBF Supermiddle weight champion anyway and Sakio should of been in the Super 6 tournament watch he would of won with no problems. Bute vs Bika 2
Kelly Pavlik won’t have a chance to win against Bute right now. Pavlik didn’t show any power at 170# i his fights vs. Taylor and Hopkins. So Bute will have all teh advantages if they fight. I agree with Teo, Bute cleaning up the division.
I read an article the other day where Pavlik said that after his next fight he would like to meet the winner of Williams vs Martinez. If this happens most of the questions concerning Pavlik will be answered. Hopefully greed driven Bob Arum will let this kid fight at middleweight where he belongs. Arum you have done a shameful job with Pavlik,s career since he won the title. You’ve had him fighting nobodies at middleweight, and the Hopkins fight was a no win situation. If he wins he beat an old man and if he loses he gets ridiculed for losing to an old man. You need to step in and hire a top notch trainer for this kid, and do what ever you can to get him back on the right track.
bute is an awful fight for Pavlik right now, he needs to get some experience at SMW before just jumping up against a fighter like that, he also needs a couple of decent wins to get his confidence back up
Does’nt Andrade look like the Forrest Griffin of boxing?? Good article, Pavlik definitely has a chance at beating Bute. Pavlik has a decent chin and heavy hands and he may wear Bute down in the second half of the fight.
Pavlik can have a lot of decent paydays at middleweight so he really does not have to move up in weight. Among the Europeans he has Strum and Sylvester. At home he has Wright and a slew of light middleweights like Cintron, Kirkland, MArtinez, Williams, Angulo, and Foreman.
Good article! I’m agree with you. Pavlik is a good fighter but as you say is one dimensional. Bute knocked out Andrade who has a great chin and is a very strong super middle fighter. For Pavlik a fight with Bute will be his first ko loss. Pavlik looked terible slow at 170 pounds against Hopkins. He has no chance to beat the romanian champion. Bute will clean up the division in the near future. You’ll see…
I think Bute would be a very tough fight for Pavik, but I think he would have a good shot to win. I don’t really see Pavlik as “one-dimensional”. That seems to be the knock on him lately. losing to Bernard Hopkins doesn’t mean you lack skill. Hopkins has made a career out of making people look bad. His age isn’t a factor. I still think the only guys around that can beat Hopkins are the few with a great jab and/or a lot of speed. That’s why Taylor was able to hang with him, and that’s why Calzaghe and Roy Jones beat him. Pavlik will never beat Hopkins, but I think he’s far from done, and really doesn’t deserve some of the bad ink he’s been getting. I think he would have beaten Williams. I’m a huge fan of the Punisher, but I think his greatest strength has been his freakish height at welterweight. I think he’s the only guy that could have (and would have) beaten Mayweather. I think that’s why Mayweather “retired”. But Williams is gonna run into trouble at Middleweight. And as good as Bute is, I think he will too. Don’t sleep on Pavlik. If his loss to Hopkins and the bad run he’s had with injuries don’t hurt him mentally, I think he gets back to the top of the heap inb the next two years. Just my humble opinion. Good article!