After finishing the year with the upset of Maidana beating Broner, boxing fans needed another bout to come around that wet their appetite and the Bell Centre in Montreal will provide the setting of a potential Civil Canadian War between Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute.
There is usually fight card every weekend throughout the year happening somewhere in the world. Although watching a bout for a regional title held in Mexico wouldn't get to many boxing fans clambering their TV sets to watch the contest live or view at a later date.
We need a main event to kick off 2014 in style and we have a great main event.
This week, boxing is back with a bang. Nothing beats a passionate crowd with two boxers competing to be ‘King of Quebec’, although Adonis Stevenson may dispute that. Will they set their house afire?
Jean Pascal vs. Lucian Bute (Saturday Night/ Sunday Morning, SKY Sports 1HD, 2AM GMT)
The contest should have happened before Carl Froch steam rolled through Bute when he reigned as the IBF Super Middleweight titlist, and whilst Pascal was the Light Heavyweight king. It would have been seen as the best vs the best. As a boxing fan, you come to realise some fights take a little bit longer to take place due to promotional issues, TV rights and good old fashioned injuries. While there hasn’t much coverage in the build up to the contest in Europe (Sky Sports have acquired the broadcasting rights for the UK), In Montreal, the city will come to a stand still for the contest and the atmosphere will be electric in the Bell Centre.
Pascal (28-2-1, 17 KO) has won two straight since losing his title to the wily old veteran Bernard Hopkins in 2011. Bute hasn’t looked the same since being bulldozed by Carl Froch in 2012. Bute won a close decision against Denis Grachev but his confidence looked shot. Both men need a win to stay relevant in the light heavyweight division and with the lineal crown now held by Adonis Stevenson, the chance for more domestic payday’s and recognition awaits the winner.
It’s hard to imagine this one without drama, although I see Pascal stopping Bute late on after a few shaky rounds early on.
Heavyweight hopeful Irish based Cuban Mike Perez (20-0, 12 KO) is also in action against French based Cameroonian Carlos Takam (29-1, 23 KO). It will be interesting if Perez show any mental effects after the injuries suffered by his last opponent, Magomed Abdusalomov.
Injuries are part and parcel of the fight game but I can see Perez having trouble getting into a rhythm after the injuries he caused to Abdusalomov in his last contest. Injuries are part and parcel of the fight game but I can see Perez having trouble getting into a rhythm after the injuries he caused to Abdusalomov in his last contest. Takam has not been in with the same calibre of fighter as Perez and I expect him to be comprehensively out boxed over the distance.
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