Lucian Bute vs. Glen Johnson

By Paul Grossinger

Saturday, November 5th

Mister KO, Lucian Bute (29-0) will fight former titlist and longtime contender Glen Johnson (51-15-2) for the IBF Super Middleweight Title! The fight will be on of the biggest in the middleweight division this fall and, if Bute wins, should set him up for a big fight against Carl Froch, Andre Ward, or even Sergio Martinez!

Bute is a Romanian-Canadian southpaw with an undefeated record against a collection of opponents that is, shall we say underwhelming. When the biggest name on your hit list is Alejandro Berrio, the man Bute won his IBF title from back in 2007, you aren't exactly winning Robert Hearns toughness awards.

But, Bute has acquitted himself well in those fights and knocked an astonishing 24 of 29 opponents out cold. Of course, this is boxing not college football, so running up the score by knocking your opponent into never-never land doesn't make your record any more impressive.

BUT, winning against tough fighters does improve the boxing world's perception of your record, which is why Bute is fighting Johnson. Nicknamed The Road Warrior because he has fought everyone, everywhere, Johnson is now 42 but he remains a formidable fighter. He has never been a flashy point specialist but Johnson can unleash a killer punch and will punch to the bitter end.

Johnson is a clever choice for Bute because, while his name and reputation are formidable, the old warrior has lost a step (or three). He is fresh off losses to Chad Dawson and Tavoris Cloud, which means that he is a very beatable target for the talented, undefeated Bute.

In the fight, look for Johnson to unleash big blows but also be willing to engage in an endurance battle. Even at 42, Johnson probably has the sheer grit to outlast Bute if given the chance. But, he can't quite handle a punch like he used to and Bute sure can deliver one. Mister KO will come out swinging and Johnson is likely to be knocked out.

From Lucian Bute vs. Glen Johnson to Boxing Blog

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