By William Mackay: Dan Rafael of ESPN lists WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward (19-0, 13 KO’s) as number #1 in the super middleweight division and IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (26-0, 21 KO’s) as number #2. This is the opposite of what many boxing fans have. Many of them have Bute as number #1 and Ward #2. Rafael is clearly going out on the limb by selecting the young 26-year-old Ward as number #1 because other than his fights against Edison Miranda, Mikkel Kessler and Allan Green, Ward hasn’t faced that many top fighters during his six year pro career.

However, Ward is a 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, and that certainly shows his pedigree and he looked sensational in his dominating performances against Miranda, Kessler and Green. None of those fights were remotely close, as Ward totally dominated all three of them without any problems.

In contrast, Bute’s experience isn’t that much more than Ward, despite fighting seven more fights during his career. Bute never made it to the Olympics while fighting as an amateur. The closest that Bute got was taking part in the World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2003. Bute made it to the finals but was then viciously knocked out in the 4th round by the power punching Gennady Golovkin from Kazakhstan. As a pro, Bute has faced and beaten fighters like Sakio Bika, Alejandro Berrio, William Joppy, Fulgencio Zuniga, Librado Andrade (twice) and Edison Miranda.

As you can see, Bute has a little more experience compared to Ward, but against fighters that Ward would also likely beat with ease. You can’t look at any of the fighters that Bute has faced thus far and say that Ward couldn’t beat every last one of them without too many problems. Bika is probably the best of the bunch, but he’s vulnerable to being out-boxed and I can see Ward handling him without too many problems.

I agree with Rafael’s ranking of Ward and Bute. I think Bute is a great fighter, but he’s so predictable and doesn’t fight as well on the inside compared to Ward. Bute is all about hitting and running. When he does fight on the inside, he likes load up with shots. He’s done well lately against Andrade and Miranda, but both of those fighters were flawed and not nearly as good in close compared to Ward.

I think Bute would be in real trouble if Ward was to fight him and force Bute to fight on the inside. I doubt Bute have much choice because Ward lands his shots and then he’s on top of his opponents with one lighting fast move. He shoots in like a knife and once he’s on top of his opponent, it’s impossible to extract him. If Ward was to fight Bute in his adopted country of Canada.

I think Bute would have a better chance at beating Ward, because the Canadian referee would likely be constantly breaking Ward and Bute and not allowing Ward to work on the inside. In order for Ward to beat Bute, he would have to beat him on the outside with his quicker hands. I think Ward could do that too. He would be too fast for Bute and would land every time with his shots, whereas Bute would be limited to his jab and run style, which I see as not being effective against Ward.