By John F. McKenna (McJack): Super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (29-0, 24 KO’s) will be defending his crown against challenger Glen Johnson (51-15-2, 35 KO’s) at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City on November 5. The match against former light heavyweight champion Johnson will be Bute’s 9th title defense and will be aired on Showtime.

Johnson, who always comes to fight, is the best option available to Bute after a proposed fight with former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik fell apart over money issues with Pavlik.

The Bell Center in Montreal was where Bute had his first professional fight in 2003 and had been in the running to host the Bute – Johnson fight. Most of Bute’s title defenses have been at the Bell Centre, but promoter Jean Bedard of Interbox decided on Quebec City for the Johnson fight. Bedard feels that Johnson will be the stiffest test of Bute’s career. Lucian made his 4th title defense in Quebec City when he KO’d Librado Andrade in their rematch.

In his last fight in July Bute returned to his native Romania where he scored a 4th round KO over mandatory challenger Jean Paul Mendy. Lucian had previously only had one fight in Romania and long dreamed of defending his title there. Bute’s upcoming bout with Johnson will mark the first time that he has had back to back fights outside of Montreal since 2004.

Bute has previously sparred with Johnson and knows his style well, although he notes there is a big difference between sparring and an actual fight. Johnson last fought with Carl Froch in June. Johnson lost the fight but it was competitive enough to earn him a title fight with Bute. Johnson is known for being an aggressive boxer who applies relentless pressure

Glen Johnson is confident that he can derail the Lucian Bute express train and bring back the IBF super middleweight title belt to the USA. Johnson looks upon his showdown with Bute as the opportunity of a lifetime.

Bute for his part feels that a victory over a fighter of Johnson’s stature would solidify his place as one of the elite super middleweight fighters in the world.