Team Pavlik mulls over possibility of a fight with Lucian Bute
Former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (36-2, 32 KOs) is game to take on super middleweight champ Lucian Bute (27-0, 22 KOs) after he fights Brian Vera in Arlington, Texas, on 13 November.
Pavlik would challenge any worthwhile opponent, but Bute, top rated in his division, offers an IBF title that makes things sweeter for Pavlik.
Top Rank and Pavlik’s co-promoter Cameron Dunkin are currently in talks with Bute’s team, InterBox, about a bout in March.
On Friday 15 October Bute extended his record with a lopsided defeat of challenger Jesse Brinkley. Brinkley was game to compete, but failed to put anything on the table save for commendable courage and
heart.
Pavlik is looking to regain his winning streak since being ousted by middleweight star Sergio Martinez in April. Pavlik was handed his second defeat.
Against Vera Pavlik will be fighting at 164 pounds. A decision to remain in the middleweight division or fight at the super middleweight level may prove crucial in arranging a Bute fight.
"They [Bute promoter InterBox] want to see if we can put a Pavlik fight with Bute together for next year," Top Rank representative Carl Moretti said. “But Pavlik still has to decide if he wants to stay
at 160 or go to 168. But first we gotta win the fight Nov. 13 and see how Kelly feels, and then go from there. But if you're looking at 168, you're going to look at the best attraction and one of the biggest names out there in Bute."
Pavlik, eager to fight Bute, noted the necessity of focusing on Vera for the time being. “This [fight] is life or death for me. I must win,” he said.
Pavlik’s team notified InterBox that while they know Bute is a huge draw in Montreal, Canada, they would prefer to have the fight in a neutral location in the United States. Moretti said InterBox wasn’t
ruling the idea out.
Moretti was clear to indicate a Bute fight was only in the negotiating phase. It would be dropped for the time being if Pavlik decides in beating Vera he would like to make another run for the middleweight
title.
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