By Dan Ambrose: Undefeated IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (27-0, 22 KO’s) will be making his 7th title defense on March 19th against Irish opponent Brian Magee (34-3-1, 24 KO’s) in what appears to be yet another mismatch for the 30-year-old Bute. Magee is ranked number #8 by the IBF, and he’s a pretty indication of the type of opponents that are ranked in the top 15 by the IBF. Other than #3 ranked Andre Dirrell, the whole lot of them are pretty average and would be at home in the 2nd tier.

The fact is that other the Super Six tournament contestants, the super middleweight is lacking in quality fighters. For this reason Magee is sadly about the best that Bute can get. He’s already beaten other contenders Edison Miranda, Librado Andrade, Fulgencio Zuniga and Jesse Brinkley.

Magee, 35, hasn’t lost in four years since being stopped by Carl Froch in 2006. Magee’s wins since then have come against nothing but B level fighters. It’s great that Magee has been winning but when you look at the types of fighters that he’s been facing for the past four years, it’s easy to see why.

Having seen Magee fight on a number of occasions, all I can say is he’s slow, weak, poor on defense and he moves like he’s stuck in quicksand. In comparison to the other fighters that Bute has been destroying lately, Magee is a step down. I would favor Miranda, Zuniga, Adrade and Brinkley over Magee any day of the weak. It’s just disappointing that Bute isn’t fighting a better fighter like Jean Paul Mendy or Maksym Bursak. Those would at least be decent opponents for Bute, but they wouldn’t stand a chance either.