Giving Bute the Boot
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From our What Are They Thinking Dept. comes the news that Showtime, once known for thinking outside the box, may have crawled back into the box from where it came.
Showtime is so set on matching Super Six winner Andre Ward against Lucian Bute—despite Ward having broken his hand prior to his fight with Carl Froch, which means he won’t be able to fight before June—that it looks like they might pass on a Bute-Froch fight, a fight that looks as terrific fight on paper as it will look in the ring.
During a teleconference call earlier today, Bute and his promoter Jean Bedard announced that they’re negotiating with Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn for an April 14 fight, whether Showtime likes it or not, whether Showtime broadcasts it or not.
With all the crapola littering the airwaves, one would think that Showtime would jump at the opportunity to showcase two of their fighting stars. But according to Bedard, Showtime lacks the “vision or enthusiasm” to get behind this tantalizing bout.
Showtime, like its competitor HBO, has produced some bona fide clunkers over the years, and now that a competitive fight comes along, a fight that fans on both sides of the Atlantic can get excited about, they turn up their noses at something substantive?
Showtime apparently wants Bute to fight Andre Dirrell. (Please stop that cheering so I can think.)
It’s time for Bute to take that step up in class which Froch represents, just as it’s time for Froch to redeem himself if he can get by a rapidly improving Bute.
We’re crazy about Andre Ward. But we’re also crazy about Lucian Bute and Carl Froch. Who is Showtime crazy about? Or are they just plain crazy?
