By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (27-0, 22 KO’s) says he will be facing the Super Six tournament winner in early 2012, according to the latest boxing news. Bute, 30, is ready for this fight and looking forward to taking on the winner, which should be WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward.

There’s still four fighters left in the tournament, but Ward appears to be the guy that will come out on top and be the one that Bute faces in early 2012. 42-year-old warrior Glen Johnson takes on WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch in one of the semifinal matches, while the talented Ward takes on Arthur Abraham of Germany in the other. Johnson and Ward will likely come out as the winner of those fights and will then meet in the finals. Ward will win that fight with ease, and be ready to face Bute next year.

Bute has been without any competition during the three years that he’s held the IBF strap. He’s defended the title six times against William Joppy, Librado Andrade [twice], Edison Miranda, Fulgencio Zuniga and Jess Brinkley. Bute will be facing Brian Magee on March 19th, in what will surely be another mismatch for Bute. The super middleweight division has only a small handful of talented fighters for Bute to pick over. One of them being Andre Dirrell, who is currently sidelined after getting injured after he slipped and fell to the canvas in his bout with Abraham last year in March. Instead of holding back, Abraham teed off on Dirrell with a big right hand while he was down. The punch knocked Dirrell out, and later caused him to suffer headaches. He is now healing from the injury and hopes to be back soon.

Bute vs. Ward will be a huge fight next year. After Ward beats Abraham and Johnson, he’s going to be poised to be boxing’s newest star. It’s going to be a great year for Ward in 2012.