Bute vs Johnson, lucky thing there was an undercard
The IBF super middleweight champ Lucian Bute (30-0, 24 KOs) chalked up his 30th victory by winning a 12 round unanimous decision over 42-year-old Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson (51-16-2, 35 KOs) on Saturday night at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.
Just as he did against Carl Froch in June, Johnson didn’t put up much of a fight. The scores of 119-109 and 120-108 twice can attest to that.
After the bout, Bute answered ringside reporter Jim Gray’s burning question concerning his December travel plans. “Can we expect to see you at the Super Six Final at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N. J. on December 17?” Bute said yes and he was hoping to face the winner.
This is one of the rare punches that Glen Johnson actually landed. Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions
After that interrogation, Gray headed over to talk with his opponent and according to Mr. Johnson, “I thought I won the fight. I don’t think he was landing anything. I beat him with my jab. I hit him a lot more times than he hit me.”
He then mentioned he was fighting in the other guy’s hometown and that the judges were influenced by the crowd noise.
That is true. Every time Bute landed a punch, the crowd did erupt just like one of those audiences at a dress rehearsal for a TV game show. But, he could not argue with the punch stats. At times, Bute was the only one throwing a punch and he out-landed Johnson 306 punches to just 128. Of the 572, mostly short arm punches that he did throw, the majority were fanning the air.
Regarding his reluctance to throw more punches, Johnson stated, “My right arm swelled up in about the fourth round so I couldn’t throw my big right hand. I basically beat him with one hand.”
Johnson then pointed to the swelling on his upper right forearm and held it out so the cameras could see.
In all honesty, this was one of the most boring fights of all time. Not the all time worst, but surely in the running. The fighters kept their distance for the first couple rounds and it wasn’t until late in the fight, that there was a fight.
What was entertaining was the masking agents applied by the three commentators, Steve Albert, who was calling the action, along with Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarver adding their color commentary. After giving the boxers a pass in Round #1, the amusing comments began to flow like the water over Niagara Falls.
While Lucian Bute was landing his punches, Glen Johnson's were continually off target. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions
“I don’t see any punches but the heads are bobbing. They’re showing too much respect and fighting like friends. (Johnson) must know he’s not going to get a decision.”
Round #3: “The crowd’s waiting to erupt, but he’s being extra careful. It appears he’s holding back somewhat.”
Round #4: “Johnson continues to fight from the deep outside.”
Round #5: “Fans are waiting for something big to happen.” He’s (Johnson) still too far out. Did you see that! His right hand actually landed and surprised the champion.”
In total Johnson landed two punches that round.
Then came a whimsical remark from Johnson’s corner people while their man was sitting on his stool. “The way he’s going. You’re going this way and he’s going that way.”
So very true, like buddies staging a fight scene for the movie cameras.
Round #6: “It’s good to see Johnson moving forward but he’s in dangerous territory. The new Lucian Bute is leaning in. He looks like he’s ready to slug it out. Look at that speed! He’s still coming up short though. But he’s giving him problems.”
Round #7: “With his (Bute’s) hands down, head moving, it doesn’t give him an opportunity. Johnson will not let go.”
By Round #8, they started blaming Johnson’s lack of fight on his diet. He had to come down in weight. “Look, his mouth is open…means he’s tired,” stated Steve Albert.
Round #9: “The punches are taking their toll! Obviously not a great round for Johnson but he’s still there. He needs a knockdown…or maybe two. There was some pretty good action there, at the end.”
Round #10: “He (Johnson) looks like he’s running out of more gas. Looks like he’s trying to set something up, something big. Let’s see if he can get it done. This is fascinating…”
Round #11: “He’s (Bute) making a tough fight look easy. Is this the fight where he (Johnson) became old…or a combination of things?”
Round #12: “What a dominating performance thus far over a rugged Glen Johnson. He’s thrown some hellacious punches at Johnson. Well, we’re down to the final 42 seconds…how ironic, (Albert was making a reference to Johnson’s age). He’s finishing like a champion.”
To the very end, Albert and his partners used every cliche in their arsenal. Then came the last bit of bridled suspense, “While we wait for the decision.”
The "I'm going to cut his throat" message given by guys like Jorge Luis Teron (L) has never been popular and the majority of the time the people who use it, end up looking foolish. Just ask Mr. Teron who got knocked out by Pier Olivier Cote (R) on Saturday night.
In the co-feature, Canadian junior welterweight Pier-Olivier Côté (18-0, 12 KOs), of Quebec City, scored a dramatic second round knockout of Jorge Luis Teron (25-2-1, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of the Bronx, New York.
In an explosive first round Côté, four inches shorter than Teron, pressed the action and landed his punches with speed from every angle. He dominated that opening round as every punch seemed to find his mark. The, in the final minute, while attempting to finish his opponent off, Côté got hit on the button by an overhand right and went flying backwards.
In round two, Côté continued his aggressive style and soon knocked Teron off his feet with a powerful one-two to the head. Starting to bleed, Teron rose to his feet. Back came Cote to finish him off with a solid left hook to the face that sent Teron crashing to the canvas to end the scheduled 12 rounder.
Also on the Undercard, in a 10 round super bantamweight bout Steve Molitor (34-2-0, 12 KOs) won a split decision victory over Sebastien Gauthier (21-3-0, 13 KOs)
In a light heavyweight 10 rounder, Allan Green (31-3-0, 21 KOs) won an unanimous decision victory over Sebastien Demers (31-5-0, 11 KOs).
In a light middleweight eight rounder, Kevin Bizier (16-0-0, 12 KOs) knocked out Christian Bladt (38-13-2, 12 KOs) in the third round.
In a lightweight match-up Rances Barthelemy (14-0-0, 11 KOs) won by TKO after Alejandro Barrera (21-10-0, 14 KOs) got stopped in the second round of their six rounder.
And finally, in a four round light heavyweight match, Schiller Hyppolite (2-0-0 1 KO) won by TKO over Dale Golden (1-1-0, 1 KO) at 2:28 of the opening round.
