BUTE
ROCKS ZUNIGA WITH DEVASTATING TKO,
DEFENDS IBF
168-POUND CROWN ON SHOBOX
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SHOWTIME To Replay The Thrilling Fight Wednesday, Mar. 18 at 10
p.m. ET/PT on SHO 2
MONTREAL
(Mar. 13,
2009) – International Boxing Federation super middleweight
champion Lucian Bute made his third successful title defense
with a devastating fourth round TKO victory over Fulgencio
Zuniga Friday night on SHOWTIME’s
ShoBox: The New Generation
from the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The adopted
hometown hero dominated from start to brutal finish, landing a
powerful left hook to the body that sent the Colombian Zuniga
(22-4-1, 19 KOs) to the canvas early in the fourth. Zuniga
barely got up to beat the referee’s “10 count,” and once he did
he was met with an onslaught of punches from the naturally
bigger Bute (24-0, 19 KOs). Against the ropes and defenseless
to Bute’s repeated combinations, the referee ended the
championship bout at 2:25 of the fourth round.
The Montreal
resident, by way of Romania, was cheered wildly by the 12,153
largely Bute supporters as fireworks exploded in the Bell
Centre, home of the NHL’s Montreal Canadians. Friday’s fight
was promoted by Interbox.
“I felt from
the first round that I was better than him,” Bute said. “I
controlled the distance and landed the right shots to hurt
him.
“I felt that
my punch went right through him. I didn’t even think he would
be able to get up. Hat’s off to him for trying, but he just
couldn’t go on.”
Bute was
hoping for a dominating victory to wipe away any doubts that
still lingered from his struggles during the 12th
round in his victory over Librado Andrade, Oct. 24 on
ShoBox. During the
fight, the undefeated Bute was knocked to the canvas for the
first time in his career. Visibly shaken and hurt, Bute barely
made it to his feet, but he beat the referee’s “10-count” to
retain his belt on a lopsided decision.
“If he took a
half step back with the win over Andrade, then he took two
steps forward tonight,” said Steve Farhood,
ShoBox’s color
commentator. “If nothing else, this fight largely erased what
happened in the 12th round with Andrade. Bute again
looked like a fighter who could become the No. 1 super
middleweight in the world.”
Farhood’s counterpart, Nick Charles agreed: “It was exactly
what he needed, a complete domination with a fabulous power
finish. He had his way from beginning to end.”
Now, the IBF 168-pound champ has his sights set on the toughest
fighters in the 168-pound division, and a little redemption.
“I want to fight Andrade again,” Bute said. “Let’s hope he
wins his next fight. It’s not guaranteed.
“But the
168-pound division is full of great fighters and I want to
fight the best. I’d go to the U.S. anytime to fight a guy like
(Kelly) Pavlik or (Jermain) Taylor. I’m ready to fight
anyone.”
While Zuniga was able to get up after the initial body shot
that sent him to the canvas, there was no chance of recovering
for the Colombian, who’s only losses have come against world
champions.
“Unfortunately, he hit me in the stomach and took all the air
out of me,” Zuniga said. “I just couldn’t breathe.”
Bute’s preparation was the key in making that “controversial”
12th round against Andrade ancient history.
“I was ready for a 12 round fight and I respected my game
plan,” Bute said. “I wanted to give him a lesson in boxing and
I did.”
The next two months feature a jam-packed SHOWTIME Sports
schedule, with March and April filled with championship fights
and meaningful matchups. Undefeated super middleweight
prospect and 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist Andre Dirrell (17-0,
12 KOs) takes on Derrick Findley (13-2, 8 KOs) on Saturday,
March 28 in a 10-round super middleweight fight in a special
Saturday edition of ShoBox:
The New Generation.
Exactly one week later, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING showcases
a world championship unification bout when WBC 140-pound champ
Timothy Bradley (23-0, 11 KOs) takes on WBO champ Kendall Holt
(25-2, 13 KOs) on April 4 live from the Bell Centre in
Montreal.
Just six days later on Friday, April 17,
ShoBox brings fans
another world championship fight between Yuriorkis Gamboa
(13-0, 11 KOs) and Jose Rojas (25-6-1, 17 KOs) for the interim
WBA featherweight title.
The following Friday, April 24 features another spectacular
ShoBox world championship fight when WBA/IBF 122-pound champ
Celestino Caballero (31-2, 22 KOs) defends his titles against
Jeffrey Mathebula (22-1-2, 12 KOs) live from the Seminole Hard
Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
To top off a spectacular month of April, SHOWTIME gives fans
another world championship fight the following night on
Saturday, April 25 when WBC super middleweight champ Carl Froch
(24-0, 19 KOs) takes on former champ Jermain Taylor (28-2-1, 17
KOs) live from MGM Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn.
Friday’s
bouts will re-air this week as follows:
DAY
CHANNEL
Wednesday,
Mar. 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME TOO
AVAILABLE ON DEMAND STARTING 3/16 AND ENDING 4/12
For more
information on “ShoBox: The
New Generation” and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records, related
stories and more, please go to new SHOWTIME website at http://sports.sho.com/
