Showtime not interested in Froch-Bute fight; prefer Bute vs. Ward or Hopkins
January 16th, 2012
By Scott Gilfoid: According to TVA Sports, Showtime has little interest in televising an April 14th fight between IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (29-0, 24 KO’s) and former WBC super middleweight belt holder Carl Froch (28-2, 20 KO’s).
Showtime is where a lot of the money is coming from for a Bute-Froch fight and if that cash isn’t there, it might not be feasible for the two fighters to go ahead with their planned two-fight deal, which has Froch fighting in Montreal, Canada in April and then depending on whether that fight is competitive or not, a rematch that would occur in August in Nottingham, England.
Ward has already said that he has no interested in fighting Bute next and wants to see the Canadian based fighter prove himself first by beating one or two ‘A’ level fighters before he’ll fight him. Ward has already mentioned Froch and Andre Dirrell as two fighters that Bute should face and beat before he’ll fight him.
However, in order to get the fight that they want to air for U.S audiences, may attempt to persuade Ward to fight Bute next anyway without him having to beat Froch and/or Dirrell first. Showtime could get what they want if they wave a significant amount of money under Ward’s nose to make it worthwhile for him to face the untested Bute.
As for Hopkins, he already wants the Bute fight next and will likely eagerly accept the fight if it’s offered to him.
The only problem that Hopkins has that could get in the way of the fight is that the World Boxing Council has ordered him to give Chad Dawson an immediate rematch. Hopkins could possibly get of that fight by going to the WBC to request a temporary bypass of that fight; or Hopkins could give Dawson some step aside money; or Hopkins could simply vacate his WBC title and fight without the belt. I doubt that Showtime would be pleased about that. They probably want Hopkins to have the WBC title in his possession because it gives the fight more credibility among the boxing public. Without a title, Hopkins could be seen as just another old guy who happened to get injured in his last fight against Dawson.
Why would boxing fans want to see Bute vs. Hopkins in the U.S? I think a certain percentage of fans like Hopkins a lot and want to see how he’ll do against Bute, who is considered by some to be the best fighter in the super middleweight division. However, I think a lot of fans also want to see Hopkins lose and they see Bute as the guy that can beat him.
Although there’s no official explanation as to why Showtime is cool on the Bute vs. Froch fight, but it might have a lot to do with how easily Froch was beaten in his last fight against Ward in December. Having Bute fight a guy that was so badly beaten like Froch is probably bad television in the United States. It might do well in Canada, Romania and the UK, but in the U.S, a Froch-Bute fight isn’t nearly as interesting as a Bute-Hopkins or Bute-Ward fight.
Tags: 28 Responses to “Showtime not interested in Froch-Bute fight; prefer Bute vs. Ward or Hopkins”
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Bute vs Direll will be a great fight too.
Cut the bullsh– hype about this fight! If Bute doesnt fight Ward. (2 best Supermiddleweights) than Bute should settle a score with Pascal! Hopkins is just a name! If he wants to stay in the game he should fight Cloud. Enough of this rascial politics!
Dear Mr. Scott, last time I checked, Lucian Bute’s rating was 30-0, 24 KOs. Being an expert like you pretend you are,, you should know that. Or not?
Thanks Boo..
To answer your question, it’s lost Ward-Bute First and lost Bute and Ward to HBO after investing so much time and money in the Super Middle Weight… After the last Bute’s bout with Showtime, Hershman(HBO) will do everything possible to achieve the super-fight between the best 168 and 175 pounds…. Include Bute-Ward if Showtime didn’t put all the money to realise what all the boxing fans want…
Maybe this situation is easier for Bute … because he doesn’t have to find a fight. It’s SHO who has to provide the fight ! It’s SHO’s negociation with Ward !
This is good for Ward, because he can pretend more money to SHO then to Bute’s team.
And this is bad for Bute, because for such a fight he might have got at least 5-6 mil instead of the 2 mil that he gets from SHO.
So, the SHO contract seamed to be a good thing for Bute at the begining, but Bute is payng now that contract.
What is SHO afraid of ?: to lose Bute ? or to lose the fight Ward-Bute ?
ofcourse cause froch is a newbody in usa just like garbage amir khan
@ Mick, @Baa
I think, it was the romanian web sites (newspoapers and TV posts) presenting Bute’s future posibilities.
relly don’t like showtime, interbox dosn’t need them in there business, they should make the Froch vs Bute fight cause it’s the fight people in Montreal want to see…(or Ward of course, if he stop hiding)…don’t want to see another ring actor like Hopkins who will fake a injury at the first chance to get another paydays…we want Froch vs Bute or Ward vs Bute and that the only thing we want to see
Blanco O Negrito, Hopkins esta un Cabron!
es muy facil por comprender lo que ocure si bute pelea con froch gana seguro por ko en los dos combates asi se convierte en el mejor de la division (ward gano froch por puntos)lo que oblgia a ward ir canada pero sho querev promovar esta pelea en usa
Naturally these friscoes prefer black and white, not the 2 other alternatives!
Does anyone know if B-Hop is still a fight to make his contract with HBO?
@ Baa
I knew for Hershman but the number he said for the contract extension very intriguing. Someone mentioned that on the radio in Montreal??? And the contract of two fights on HBO?
Yeah, Montreal radio are pretty much confirming Boo’s theory. Showtime is posturing itself to extend Bute for a few more fights. Remember that Ken Hershman (ex Showtime Sports head) who signed Bute at Showtime is now at HBO.
ba fraerilor ce vb urit de bute,bute este un mare campion,si andre ward la refuzat de frica
Bute vs Ward is a more intersting fight then Bute vs Hopkins.The Ward fight will be an good one, the upcom of the fight will determine the best in this division.Once and for all hope this year it will happen.
@ BOO
Where have you picked these informations??? About the SHO and HBO contract…
Everyone is afraid of the great champion Lucian Bute.
I think Bute-Froch might be the toughest fight for Bute (exept Andrade I)… or at least the toughest fight at A level. I think this fight is a big money for everyone, especially in Canada ! Bute-Froch is a goof fight (Bute no 2 RING and no 2 boxrec, while Froch no 4 ring and no 3 boxrec). This is a good fight – a 5-6 star fight between 2 A level fighters. So I don’t think SHO has anything against Froch !
However, SHO proposed a new contract to Bute (3 fight – 10 mil $ = 3+3+4), but Bute didn’t signed a new contract with SHO, not yet. Bute said he wants to finish his last fight under his present contract and sign afterwards, because he is hoping in a good result, and therefore he might obtain more than just 10 $ having a more impressive victory.
I don’t think Bute likes the new contract proposition (he might get 4 mil for the first Froch fight) so why should he accept fighting the best of the best for just 3 mil per fight. Beating Froch might mean a raise for him to 5 mil per fight. I don’t think Bute is misjudging the money (at this level fight is normal between 5-10 mil per fight per fighter). Mayweather got 75 mil $ for his 4 round fight. Paquaio gets 50 mil $ /per fight.
Maybe this way of thinking from Bute’s camp is somehow a hidden negotiation with SHO … they are practically asking for more money for an early signature. So, there you are … with this response from SHO, they actually postpone the end of their contract and doing that they are just putting the pressure for this new negotiation of a contract with Bute. HBO already offered Bute a new contract (2 fights).
Both SHO and HBO has something to offer to Bute (SHO – the best of the SMW division and HBO – the best of the LHW division). Why would SHO postpone the end of the contract !
I don’t think Bute might have any problem with old guy BHop, maybe with Ward, but not against BHop.
Showtime has turned on Froch, hopefully Epix picks it up.
There proberly not interested in ur articles either
Bute vs. HOPKINS ???
Bute-Froch may happen in Romania or UK outside of the contract Showtime wont televise the fight.
Yes zko, on paper but for business no..:)
I think Bute is good enough to beat them all.
bute or ward or bute and hopkins or ward and direll or hopkins dawson
Bring the Bute-Ward fight!!
Showtime has no clue… Foch-Bute is a great match.