Lucian Bute Impressive In Win Over Librado Andrade

Lucian Bute looked great in his win over the steel-chin challenger, Librado Andrade. Andrade has never been stopped before; Lucian Bute managed to stop him in only 4 rounds.

Coming into this fight, I was expecting to see Andrade start where he left off in their last bout - and he did - pressuring Lucian Bute. Only I thought this time around, Librado would be more effective, seeing as how Bute couldn't dent his jaw in the first fight.

I was shocked to say the least, after Lucian Bute landed that beautiful counter-left off the ropes that dropped Andrade. We've seen Andrade absorb some monstrous shots in his fight against Kessler, and Lucian Bute was tagging him at will in the first fight without so much as a flinch from Librado - so I didn't expect to see Lucian drop him. That's not to say Andrade was seriously hurt though; the knockdown had more to do with him not seeing the punch. That just goes to show you how technique and speed trumps brute power most of the time (think Floyd Mayweather Jr.).

After Andrade got up from the punch to the head, Lucian soon thereafter finished the fight, erasing the memory of the first encounter, by hitting his opponent with a massive, well-placed left to the body. Librado could not beat the count.

Lucian Bute redeemed himself with this performance, and reacted to criticism the way true champions do. He was man enough to give Librado Andrade a much deserved rematch, and managed to erase any doubts I had before. I was seriously expecting some improvements out of Lucian Bute, and thought he would win - by UD - but not by stopping someone as tough as Andrade in 4 rounds.

Bute is ready for the elite in and around the super middleweight division. He's earned the right to fight the best. Word is, Lucian's camp wants Kelly Pavlik. I think that would be a good fight. Paul Williams is also a possibility.

Why the hell is Lucian Bute NOT in the super middleweight tournament? That's what I want to know!