By Scott Gilfoid: After watching International Boxing Federation (IBF) dispatch the defenseless Librado Andrade tonight with a left hand to the midsection tonight in Quebec, I couldn’t help wondering how Bute, 29, would do against the much tougher competition in the Super Six tournament. First of all, I have no idea why Bute decided not to take part in the Super Six tourney, because if he really wanted to prove that he’s the best fighter in the super middleweight division he should have taken part and tried his luck against the talented Andre Dirrell, Andre Ward, Jermain Taylor, as well as the Europeans Arthur Abraham, Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch.

As good as Bute looked tonight in dispatching Andrade, I think Bute would be in for a world of hurt if he were to try and tangle with Americans Ward and Dirrell. Bute didn’t look all that special tonight with his hit, run and hold technique he used against Andrade. What seemed to be missing was the lightning quickness that both Ward and Dirrell possess.

If Bute tried the hit and run tactics against either of those guys, they’d literally carve him up and make him pay each time he came in trying to land his straight lefts and right hooks. Bute really didn’t look fast at all against Andrade. He just was good at coming in and landing and then scurrying away before the slow-footed Andrade had time to catch up to him. When Andrade did get close enough to throw anything, Bute often foiled his offense by grabbing a hold of him to prevent him from punching.

I’d like to see Bute step it up against Dirrell or Ward in the future. Bute has had things pretty easy the last couple of years fighting the likes of William Joppy, Sakio Bika, Fulgencio Zuniga and Andrade twice. It’s time that Bute take the training wheels off and start taking on the real meat of the super middleweight division by fighting some quality fighters like Ward, Taylor or Dirrell. Heck, I’d be happy if Bute at least fought Froch, Abraham or Kessler. I doubt that those guys would beat him but I’d love to see Bute take on some better fighters than Andrade and Zuniga.

If Bute had fought in the Super Six tournament, I think Kessler would have given him a lot of problems. Kessler may be getting kind of old and he may fight like a robot much of the time, but I think he’s make Bute pay when he came in range trying to land his hooks and left hands. Bute wouldn’t be able to come at Kessler without paying a big price.

Carl Froch would be like a better version of Andrade, with longer arms, better chin and bigger power. Froch may have huge problems with Bute’s hit and run style but he’d get his pound of flesh by hammering Bute as often as he could. I see Bute winning that fight by a decision but it would be a bloody affair and a real war.

Sadly, Bute would probably stop Jermain Taylor if they were to fight right now. Taylor needs some time off to rest his head after his knockout loss to Arthur Abraham in the Super Six tournament. I suppose Taylor might make it to the 9th or 10th, but that’s about it.

Andre Dirrell would be far too fast for Bute, and would land his faster more accurate shots when Bute would come shuffling in. It would be ridiculously easy for Dirrell because of his faster hand speed. Also, Dirrell would be dodging Bute’s slower shots all night long and it would pitch a defensive shutout.

Andre Ward would blast Bute apart with his hard shots, and lightning fast counters. Instead of Bute being the one coming forward, it would be Ward going after Bute all night long, forcing him to run for his life. I see this fight as a stoppage win for Ward.