Oakland’s Andre Ward has a big problem in the super middleweight division beyond his super middleweight world title unification match in October with Carl Froch. That problem’s name is IBF 168 pound champion Lucian Bute.
Not invited to participate in SHOWTIME’s Super Six World Boxing Classic, a tournament for the top 168 pound fighters in the world, Lucian Bute has proven the cable network and any doubters he may have had to be dead wrong on his exclusion.
A little earlier today at Romexpo in Bucharest, Romania, Lucian Bute (29-0, 24 KOs) took his boxing skills to his native country and did not disappoint, knocking out top-rated contender and Frenchman Jean-Paul Mendy (29-1-1, 16 KOs) in round four.
The Canadian-based Romanian was in complete control during the brief encounter, knocking out his nemesis with a clean, overhand left to the side of the head.
The venue was completely packed with boxing fans that rarely get a chance to see a world title match much less one involving a Romanian, and their enthusiasm by way of chanting was electric throughout from the first round onwards.
Jean-Paul Mendy utilized a great deal of side-to-side and circular movement to begin the fight in an effort to counter the champion’s aggressiveness. Bute did not land a lot of punches in the first round, but he did enough to take the frame, given Mendy landed only one combination just before the ringing of the bell.
Displaying more of a willingness to engage in the second, Mendy, an Antonio Tarver look alike, used his long right jab to get inside and throw short punches but not many landed. Conversely, Bute landed a hard left uppercut, right hook combination, as well as a few more right hooks during the frame.
Mendy continued to work his jab to get inside during the third but again failed to take advantage of the close proximity, while Bute landed two big counter left hands at the 2:10 mark of the round to send his opponent into retreat mode.
As it turned out, the fourth round would be Jean-Paul Mendy’s most effective up until the moment when he was knocked out. The Frenchman was aggressive, got inside and began touching Lucian Bute with numerous short punches, including a couple of nice left hooks.
As the round progressed, Mendy seemed to become more fluid in his offense and it appeared he was beginning to work his way back into the fight, but his dream of becoming champion came to an abrupt end in side of 30 seconds left in the round.
With his back almost touching the ropes, Jean-Paul Mendy bent his knees, looking to get leverage on throwing a left hand but was nailed before he could release the shot with a left hand from the champion.
The punch, which appeared to land on Mendy’s right temple, sent the challenger crashing to the canvas and in serious trouble. Referee Marlon Wright did not even bother to finish his count to ten before calling a halt to the fight.
Should Andre Ward defeat Carl Froch this fall, Lucian Bute could very well be waiting in the wings for a potential super fight at 168 pounds with all of the division’s major titles at stake. Hosting the fight would be a huge event for Oakland, but given Bute’s drawing power in Quebec, Canada, expect the potential bout to be north of the border.
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