Lucian Bute (born February 28, 1980)[1] is a Romanian-Canadian former professional boxer who competed from 2003 to 2017. He held the IBF super-middleweight title from 2007 to 2012, successfully making nine consecutive defenses and reaching a peak ranking of number one in the division by The Ring magazine.[2]
Lucian Bute | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | |||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality |
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Other names | Le Tombeur Mister KO | ||||||||||||||||||||
Statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Weight(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 1+1⁄2 in (187 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Reach | 72 in (183 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Stance | Southpaw | ||||||||||||||||||||
Boxing record | |||||||||||||||||||||
Total fights | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wins | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wins by KO | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Losses | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Personal life
Lucian Bute was born on February 28, 1980 in Pechea, Galaţi County, Romania. After fighting for the Romanian national team as an amateur, winning multiple titles in both his homeland and abroad, Bute relocated to Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[3]
He also holds Canadian citizenship as of 2012.[4]
He is the cousin of handball player Steluța Luca. She was also born in Pechea, Galați County.[5][6]
Amateur career
As an amateur, Bute won the bronze medal at the 1999 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Houston, Texas and the gold medal at the 2001 Francophone Games. Bute also represented Romania at the 2003 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand as a middleweight, where he was defeated and eliminated from the 2003 World Amateur Boxing Championship by the current middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin with a superb knockout at round 4. Before KO Golovkin, who won 2003 World Amateur Boxing Championship, was outpointing Bute with 13 points.[7]
1999 World Amateur Championship results
- Defeated Nurhan Süleymanoğlu (Turkey) 9-5
- Defeated Mihály Kótai (Hungary) 8-4
- Defeated Kejstutis Sandanavicius (Lithuania) 18-5
- Lost to Timur Gaydalov (Russia) 7-10
2003 World Amateur Championship results
- Lost to Gennady Golovkin (Kazakhstan) KO-4
Bute claimed an amateur record of 235–15.
Professional career
Lucian Bute turned pro in 2003. On September 11, 2014, Bute announced that he would be trained by Fredie Roach. He was previously trained by Stéphan Larouche, who also trained former world champions Éric Lucas and Leonard Doroftei.[citation needed]
IBF super-middleweight champion
On June 15, 2007, Bute faced super middleweight contender and former Olympian Sakio Bika at the Bell Centre in Montreal in an elimination bout for the IBF title.[8] Bute beat Bika by unanimous decision (116-111, 118-109, 118-109) and, as a result, he got his shot at the IBF Super Middleweight Champion Alejandro Berrio on October 19, 2007. Bute beat Berrio via TKO in the 11th round. With this victory, Bute became the third professional boxing world champion of Romania in its short history after the fall of communism after Leonard Doroftei and Mihai Leu and also the third champion in InterBox's history after Eric Lucas and Dorin.[9]
Bute vs. Andrade and last-round controversy
On October 24, 2008, Bute defeated Mexico's Librado Andrade by unanimous decision but the end of the fight was marred with controversy.[10] Andrade became Bute's mandatory challenger by defeating Robert Stieglitz. While Bute dominated his opponent through most of the fight, he nearly lost the title when he was knocked down by Andrade with two seconds left in the 12th and final round. When the referee, Marlon B. Wright, reached the eight count, the bell sounding the end of the match rang. However, the referee stopped the count temporarily when he signaled Andrade to return to his corner.[11]
Bute vs. Zúñiga
Bute defeated three-time world title challenger Fulgencio Zúñiga on March 13, 2009. In round four, Bute knocked Zúñiga down with a left uppercut to the body. Zúñiga got up, but Bute continued the assault, eventually leading to a stoppage by the referee.[12][13][14]
Bute vs. Andrade II
On November 29, 2009, Lucian Bute fought Andrade in a rematch and won with a fourth-round KO at Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada.[15] Bute retained his IBF Super Middleweight title. The first three rounds saw Andrade as the aggressor and Bute played the role of counter-puncher, as had been the case in the first fight. HBO's unofficial scorecard had Bute up 30-27 after the 3rd round. In round 4, Bute slipped an overhand right from Andrade and landed a heavy left hand to the jaw sending him heavily to the canvas. Andrade beat the count but was soon caught by a left hook to the body that sent him down for the count at 2:57 of round 4.[16][17]
Bute vs. Miranda, Brinkley
On April 17, 2010, Bute stopped Edison Miranda at 1:22 of the third round to retain his IBF Super Middleweight title in Montreal in front of nearly 15,000 fans. Miranda lost the first two rounds and he was knocked out during the third round with a left uppercut to the jaw. Miranda got back on his feet but the referee decided to stop the fight seconds after, so the result was a technical knockout.[18]
On October 15, at the Bell Centre in Montréal, IBF Super Middleweight Champion Lucian Bute scored an impressive ninth round KO over mandatory challenger Jesse Brinkley. It was mostly a tactical fight until Bute dropped Brinkley with a left uppercut to the body in round five. Brinkley barely beat the count. Bute floored Brinkley for the second time in round eight and knocked him out with an uppercut in round nine. It was Bute's sixth title defense.[19]
Bute vs. Magee
Bute dominated and stopped European Super Middleweight Champion Brian Magee in the 10th round in a mostly one-sided fight at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. Magee showed incredible heart throughout and had some good moments in the earlier rounds. However, Bute wore Magee down, knocking him down three times – once in the 6th, another time in the 7th and a final time in the 10th. Bute won the fight with an uppercut in the 10th round. The bout was stopped at 2:04 of the round. The fight took place on March 19, 2011. This was Bute's seventh successful defense in a row.[20]
Bute vs. Mendy
Bute successfully defended his IBF Super Middleweight title for the eighth time in a row in Romania on 9 July 2011 against the previously unbeaten Jean-Paul Mendy of France. The Frenchman was the IBF's number one contender and the mandatory challenger.[21] This was Bute's first defense in Romania and his second fight there since 2005. The event took place at Romexpo and Bute won in the fourth round by knockout.[22]
Bute vs. Johnson
Bute defeated Glen Johnson (51-15-2, 35 KOs) via unanimous decision at Québec City's Colisée Pepsi. The judges scorecards read 119-109 and 120-108 twice.[23]
Bute vs. Froch
The IBF officially enforced Carl Froch (28-2, 20 KOs) as Bute's number one mandatory. The fight, billed as No Easy Way Out, took place on 26 May 2012 in Froch's hometown of Nottingham.[24] Despite being the overwhelming underdog with bookmakers, critics and fans around the world, Froch dominated Bute throughout the fight to become the IBF super-middleweight champion via TKO in round five.[25][26]
Light-heavyweight
Bute vs. Grachev
On November 3, 2012, in his first fight since his loss to Froch, Bute fought Denis Grachev for the latter's NABF light heavyweight title.[27] The bout took place in Montreal, Quebec. Despite strong opposition from Grachev, who was very aggressive throughout the fight, Bute was still able to not only narrowly out-box Grachev in a majority of the rounds (including a huge rally in the twelfth and final round that saw him land punches filled with loads of power over and over again on Grachev), but land the harder punches throughout the fight and was able to win the fight via unanimous decision. Unofficial ringside scorer, Russ Anber, scored the fight: 118-112, for Bute.[28]
Bute vs. Pascal, Di Luisa
It was announced that Bute would fight Jean Pascal on May 25, 2013, in Montreal, Quebec. Bute would be making his first defense of his NABF light heavyweight championship, and the winner of the fight would become the WBC Diamond champion in the class.[29] However, on May 8, 2013, Bute was forced to pull out of the fight due to an injury that required surgery to remove bone fragments from his left hand. The fight was rescheduled for January 18, 2014.[30] Pascal ended up winning the fight by unanimous decision 117-110, 117-111 and 116-112.[31]
On August 15, 2015, coming off a 19-month layoff due in part to a back injury, Lucian Bute displayed little signs of ring rust as he stopped Andrea Di Luisa in four one-sided rounds.[32]
Return to super-middleweight
Bute vs. DeGale
In mid-2015, it was announced that Bute would take part in a title fight against IBF super-middleweight champion James DeGale. The fight was DeGale's first defence of the IBF belt, and took place in Bute's adopted home-town of Quebec on 28 November 2015. After 12 rounds, the fight went to the judge's scorecards, and DeGale was awarded a unanimous decision; 116-112, 117-111, 117-111.[33] Despite suffering the third loss of his career, Bute emerged with credit from what several commentators described as an exciting fight.[34][35]
Bute vs. Jack
On Labor Eve 2016, Bute was named as the replacement for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to challenge Badou Jack for the WBC Super Middleweight Championship. The bout was declared a majority draw and, as such, Bute failed to capture the title. This would also mean Bute's first draw in his entire boxing career.[36]
On May 27, 2016 Bute tested positive for a banned substance ostarine, which is not an anabolic steroid but is said to increase stamina and recovery ability and produce similar results. It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list since 2008.[37] His B sample came back on August 12, just like his A sample showed in late May, it was positive again for the banned substance.[38]
Bute denied having knowingly taken a banned substance. The Washington commission, following its investigation, went along with Bute's assertion that he ingested the substance due to contamination of nutritional supplements prescribed by Bute's conditioning trainer and created by a laboratory in California.[39]
Subsequently, Bute was allowed to resume his career after a six-month suspension and a $50,000 fine. In-depth analyses has demonstrated beyond all doubt that the positive result of the drug test was due to contamination of nutritional supplements.[39] On April 24, 2017, the DC commission changed the outcome of the fight to a disqualification win in favour of Jack.
Return to light-heavyweight
Bute vs. Álvarez
Following the two super middleweight world title challenges, Bute announced he would move back up to the light heavyweight division. On December 8, 2016 promoter Yvon Michel announced a deal had been agreed for Bute to fight undefeated light heavyweight contender and WBC #1 ranked fighter Eleider Álvarez on February 24, 2017 at the Centre Videotron in Quebec, Canada. At the time the fight was made, Álvarez had a scheduled fight with Norbert Dabrowski on December 10, which he won and a win over Bute would put him in line for a WBC title match against Adonis Stevenson in 2017.[40] Bute lost the fight via 5th round stoppage in a fairly competitive fight.[41][42]
Retirement
After months of pondering whether or not to retire,[43] on March 21, 2019 Bute officially announced his retirement from professional boxing, having not fought in over two years. He retired with a record of 32 wins, with 25 coming inside the distance and 5 losses.[44]
Professional boxing record
37 fights | 32 wins | 5 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 25 | 2 |
By decision | 7 | 2 |
By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
37 | Loss | 32–5 | Eleider Álvarez | TKO | 5 (12), 2:22 | Feb 24, 2017 | Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | For WBC Silver light-heavyweight title |
36 | Loss | 32–4 | Badou Jack | DQ | 12 | Apr 30, 2016 | D.C. Armory, Washington, D.C., U.S. | For WBC super-middleweight title; Originally an MD, later ruled a DQ after Bute failed a drug test |
35 | Loss | 32–3 | James DeGale | UD | 12 | Nov 28, 2015 | Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | For IBF super-middleweight title |
34 | Win | 32–2 | Andrea Di Luisa | TKO | 4 (10), 1:53 | Aug 15, 2015 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
33 | Loss | 31–2 | Jean Pascal | UD | 12 | Jan 18, 2014 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Lost NABF light-heavyweight title |
32 | Win | 31–1 | Denis Grachev | UD | 12 | Nov 3, 2012 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Won NABF light-heavyweight title |
31 | Loss | 30–1 | Carl Froch | TKO | 5 (12), 1:05 | May 26, 2012 | Nottingham Arena, Nottingham, England | Lost IBF super-middleweight title |
30 | Win | 30–0 | Glen Johnson | UD | 12 | Nov 5, 2011 | Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
29 | Win | 29–0 | Jean-Paul Mendy | KO | 4 (12), 2:48 | Jul 9, 2011 | Romexpo, Bucharest, Romania | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
28 | Win | 28–0 | Brian Magee | TKO | 10 (12), 2:04 | Mar 19, 2011 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
27 | Win | 27–0 | Jesse Brinkley | KO | 9 (12), 2:48 | Oct 15, 2010 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
26 | Win | 26–0 | Edison Miranda | TKO | 3 (12), 1:22 | Apr 17, 2010 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
25 | Win | 25–0 | Librado Andrade | KO | 4 (12), 2:57 | Nov 28, 2009 | Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
24 | Win | 24–0 | Fulgencio Zúñiga | TKO | 4 (12), 2:25 | Mar 13, 2009 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
23 | Win | 23–0 | Librado Andrade | UD | 12 | Oct 24, 2008 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
22 | Win | 22–0 | William Joppy | TKO | 10 (12), 1:08 | Feb 29, 2008 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained IBF super-middleweight title |
21 | Win | 21–0 | Alejandro Berrio | TKO | 11 (12), 1:27 | Oct 19, 2007 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Won IBF super-middleweight title |
20 | Win | 20–0 | Sakio Bika | UD | 12 | Jun 15, 2007 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
19 | Win | 19–0 | Sergey Tatevosyan | UD | 12 | Jan 26, 2007 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained WBO Inter-Continental super-middleweight title |
18 | Win | 18–0 | James Obede Toney | TKO | 8 (12), 2:49 | Sep 15, 2006 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained NABF, WBA–NABA and WBC Continental Americas super-middleweight titles |
17 | Win | 17–0 | Lolenga Mock | UD | 12 | May 16, 2006 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Won WBO Inter-Continental super-middleweight title |
16 | Win | 16–0 | Andre Thysse | UD | 12 | Mar 24, 2006 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained WBC Continental Americas super-middleweight title |
15 | Win | 15–0 | Donnell Wiggins | KO | 2 (12), 2:53 | Dec 2, 2005 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained WBA–NABA super-middleweight title |
14 | Win | 14–0 | Kabary Salem | TKO | 8 (12), 3:00 | Sep 16, 2005 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Won vacant NABF and WBC Continental Americas super-middleweight titles |
13 | Win | 13–0 | Jose Spearman | KO | 8 (12), 2:13 | Jun 3, 2005 | Maurice Richard Arena, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Retained WBA–NABA super-middleweight title |
12 | Win | 12–0 | Donny McCrary | KO | 4 (12), 2:10 | Apr 21, 2005 | Sports Hall, Galaţi, Romania | Retained WBA–NABA super-middleweight title |
11 | Win | 11–0 | Christian Cruz | TKO | 12 (12), 2:18 | Mar 18, 2005 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Won vacant WBA–NABA super-middleweight title |
10 | Win | 10–0 | Carl Handy | TKO | 4 (12), 2:09 | Feb 19, 2005 | Pavillon de la Jeunesse, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | Won vacant NABF light-heavyweight title |
9 | Win | 9–0 | Dingaan Thobela | TKO | 4 (8), 1:22 | Dec 3, 2004 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
8 | Win | 8–0 | Norman Johnson | TKO | 2 (6), 1:19 | Nov 1, 2004 | The Roxy, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
7 | Win | 7–0 | Willard Lewis | TKO | 3 (8), 3:00 | Oct 30, 2004 | Le Medley, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
6 | Win | 6–0 | Rico Cason | TKO | 2 (6), 2:43 | Oct 16, 2004 | Club Ovation, Boynton Beach, Florida, U.S. | |
5 | Win | 5–0 | Tyler Hughes | TKO | 3 (6), 2:46 | Jul 24, 2004 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
4 | Win | 4–0 | Zane Marks | TKO | 1 (4), 2:35 | Apr 24, 2004 | Colisée Pepsi, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | |
3 | Win | 3–0 | Jean Pascal Service | KO | 1 (4), 1:48 | Mar 20, 2004 | Montreal Casino, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
2 | Win | 2–0 | Darin Johnson | TKO | 1 (4), 2:50 | Dec 20, 2003 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
1 | Win | 1–0 | Robert Muhammad | TKO | 2 (4), 2:05 | Nov 22, 2003 | Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
References
- ^ "Lucian Bute". May 29, 2011.
- ^ "Ring Ratings Update: Bute still No.1 at super middleweight". June 22, 2010.
- ^ "Biography of Lucian Bute - Premier Boxing Champions website".
- ^ "Bute adds 'Canadian' to title". slam.canoe.ca. March 26, 2012.
- ^ "Lucian Bute şi Steluţa Luca arată lumii ce înseamnă "Stânga de Pechea"" [Lucian Bute and Steluţa Luca show the world what "Left of the Pechea" means] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
- ^ "Cum a petrecut Bute? Fructe de mare, vin alb și latino party!" [How did Bute party? Seafood, white wine and a Latino party!] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
- ^ "10.World Championships - Houston, USA - August 20-27 1999". amateur-boxing.strefa.pl. October 18, 2012.
- ^ "LUCIAN BUTE v SAKIO BIKA overview". livefight.com. Live Fight. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ "Lucian Bute, campion la box". campioniiromaniei.ro (in Romanian). Campionii României. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ "ENTRENAMIENTO_WILFREDO_VAZQUEZ_JR._01".
- ^ "Bute retains IBF title with unanimous decision victory". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
- ^ Bute destroys Zuniga!. Retrieved on 2009-03-14.
- ^ "Montreal's Bute stops Zuniga to retain IBF title | CBC Sports". CBC. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
- ^ "Bute blasts Zuniga in four - The Ring". The Ring. 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
- ^ Blake, Brian O. "HBO Heads to Canada for Lucian Bute vs. Librado Andrade II". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
- ^ HBO (2009-12-01), HBO Boxing: Lucian Bute vs. Librado Andrade II Highlights (HBO), retrieved 2018-01-01
- ^ "Lucian Bute vs. Librado Andrade - Boxing.com". www.boxing.com. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
- ^ "Boxing: Lucian Bute wins fight with a sensational uppercut".
- ^ "Bute KO's Brinkley in 9th to retain IBF title in Montreal". web.archive.org. 2013-10-18. Archived from the original on 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
- ^ "Bute stops Magee in 10th". boxingnews24. March 19, 2011.
- ^ "La réalisation d'un rêve pour Lucian Bute" (in French). interbox.ca. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
- ^ "Lucian Bute Retains, a Crushing Knockout of Mendy". boxingscene.com. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- ^ "Bute vs Johnson Results: Lucian Bute Coasts to Uneventful Near-Shutout Decision". Bad Left Hook. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
- ^ "IBF make Carl Froch the number one mandatory to Bute". LiveFight. February 9, 2012. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/may/27/carl-froch-lucian-bute-world-title?newsfeed=true
- ^ "Bute-Grachev Slated for Nov. 3". ringtv.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-09.
- ^ "Bute survives Grachev, moves on to Froch rematch". Bad Left Hook. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
- ^ http://www.boxingscene.com/bute-vs-pascal-announcement-expected-shortly--63294 Bute vs. Pascal Announcement is Expected Shortly
- ^ "Pascal-Bute 'cast in stone'". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Pascal dominant in unanimous decision victory over Bute". web.archive.org. 2014-04-02. Archived from the original on 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
- ^ "Bute vs Di Luisa". PBC Boxing. 14 August 2015.
- ^ "James DeGale beats Lucian Bute to retain IBF title in Quebec". BBC Sport.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Brian Mazique. "James DeGale vs. Lucian Bute: Winner, Scorecard and Reaction". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Badou Jack on course for James DeGale after majority draw with Lucian Bute". Sky Sports.
- ^ Bute tested positive for banned drugs after draw with Jack ESPN |Retrieved May 27, 2016
- ^ "Bute's B sample positive for banned substance". Retrieved 2016-08-13.
- ^ a b Lucian Bute fined $50K by D.C. commission, can resume fighting ESPN |Retrieved November 26, 2016
- ^ "WBC #1 Alvarez to face Bute on Feb 24, Stevenson mandatory to follow". December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ "Eleider Alvarez Stops Lucian Bute in Five, Earns Stevenson Shot - Boxing News". www.boxingscene.com. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
- ^ "Eleider Alvarez impressive in fifth-round stoppage of Lucian Bute - The Ring". The Ring. 2017-02-25. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
- ^ "Lucian Bute Mulling Over Decision - Ring Return or Retirement". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
- ^ "Lucian Bute Makes His Retirement From Boxing Official". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
External links
- Official website
- Boxing record for Lucian Bute from BoxRec (registration required)
- Lucian Bute profile at Premier Boxing Champions (archived)
- Lucian Bute - Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings at Box.Live