By Scott Gilfoid: Canadian Lucian Bute (31-1, 24 KO’s) was briefly hurt in the 5th round last night in his 12 round decision win over Denis Grachev (12-1-1, 8 KO’s) at the Bell Centre. Instead of lying about being hurt like a lot of fighters in his shoes likely would have done, Bute came right out and admitted that Grachev had him hurt after walloping him with a tremendous right hand when Bute was next to the ropes in the 5th round.

Bute told the Montrealgazette.com “In the fifth he got me with a good right, but I wasn’t in difficulty. Against Froch, when I was up against the ropes I didn’t react, but this time I reacted right away each time and made him pay. I didn’t just stand there.

Bute fought smart by grabbing Grachev and instinctively holding onto him to prevent him from looking for the old coup de grace to finish him off the way that Froch had. The difference here wasn’t that Grachev was a lighter puncher than Froch, but that’s simply not the case. The shot that Grachev hurt Bute with was far better than anything that Bute had been hit with in his loss to Froch.

The difference here was that Bute was smarter this time having learned from his loss to Froch that he had to hold onto to Grachev to ride out the round rather than looking to trade with him like Bute had stupidly done against Froch. Bute didn’t make that mistake and was able to let his head clear after grabbing Grachev in a tight clinch to keep him throwing any additional shots.

Once the moment had passed, Bute was able to gather his wits about him and resume dominating the slower Grachev with beautiful uppercuts, jabs, straight lefts and right hooks. It was nice to watch Bute work, especially in the 12th round when he showed his old form by unloading on Grachev with everything in his arsenal. Bute literally had the sold out Bell Centre crowd on their feet in the last two minutes of the fight.