Review by AllTheBestFights.com: 2015-11-28, great performance by both fighters: James DeGale vs Lucian Bute gets three stars.The 2008 Olympic middleweight gold medalist James DeGale entered this fight with a professional boxing record of 21-1-0 (14 knockouts) and he is ranked as the No.2 super middleweight in the world (currently the #1 in this division is Arthur Abraham). He suffered his only defeat, via majority decision, in 2011 when he faced George Groves (=Groves vs DeGale), since then he has collected 11 consecutive victories winning the vacant Ibf title in his last bout, against Andre Dirrell (=DeGale vs Dirrell).
His opponent, the former Ibf super-Mw champion Lucian Bute, has an official record of 32-2-0 (25 KOs=78%) and he entered as the No.19 in the same weight class. He lost to Jean Pascal last year (=Pascal vs Bute) but he came back to win in 2015 defeating Andrea Di Luisa (=Bute vs Di Luisa). DeGale vs Bute is valid for the IBF World super middleweight title (DeGale’s first defense). Watch the video and rate this fight!
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Date: 2015-11-28
Where: Centre Videotron, Quebec City, Canada
Division: super middleweight (168 lbs, 76.2 kg)
Title: IBF World super middleweight title
DeGale’s previous fight: James DeGale vs Andre Dirrell
Bute’s previous fight: Lucian Bute vs Andrea Di Luisa
DeGale’s next fight: James DeGale vs Rogelio Medina
Bute’s next fight: Badou Jack vs Lucian Bute
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Official video:
(Alternative free embeddable video hosted on Youtube)
Official highlights
Our own Lucian Bute was supposed to be a weak-minded, washed-up guy entering this fight, and honestly, I thought he would get KOd the same way he was against Froch. It was a different story.
He gave DeGale all he could handle, forcing the champion to run a lot. I have it 116-112 for DeGale, but with a stiff opposition from Bute. He’ll be back. He proved his mental was up to the task. Gotta get the power shots go out a little more though. At no point in the fight was he staggered and he mainly was the aggressor.
Kudos to both fighters and I have to say Lucian impressed me!
Matt I agree with you. Bute did a better fight than I was expecting since his career was on line. I didn’t scored round by round but two of the judges cards favored a little bit much to DeGale. Anyhow, no doubts he won the match since connected better punch combinations, and uppercuts in conjunction with a frequent change of stance and good ring move. However, i didn’t like at all the way he used his elbows and shoulders.
Bute showed a good defense though I think, and most of all a good mental, which had been his weak point in the past, especially against Pascal.
I had it a draw.
Best fight of the weekend.
I think the best fight of the week-end was on the undercard,
Amir Imam vs Adrian Granados. Look it up if you have time :)
I hat it 116-112 DeGale.
I agree with all you guys already said. DeGale came out strong, but he couldn’t hurt Bute the way Froch once did because he simply doesn’t have the same kind of power. I think he underestimated Bute. Also, he fights in a very irregular style.
Bute’s career was on the line, and he showed guts and lots of will. Hats off to him!
I think referee Marlon B. Wright has a secret crush on Bute. Honestly, he protected him all fight long (and that’s not the first time… let’s not forget Bute-Andrade 1). He warned DeGale many times for elbow pushing. I don’t remember which round it was, but at a moment when DeGale was building momentum, he stopped the action in the middle of a combination, when Bute was in trouble, for the purpose of a non-pertinent warning. But on the other side, he gave Bute only one shy warning for doing the same thing.
But still, is it too little too late for Bute at 35 years of age? Maybe not, simply because the SMW division is not what it used to be. Other than Abraham, who would probably overwhelm Bute with his punching power, I think he could have a chance against guys like Badou Jack, the Dirrells and Stieglitz. Anyhow Bute could be a very good gatekeeper in the division until he retires.