Magee undone by classy Bute in Montreal
Brian Magee’s audacious bid to win the IBF super-middleweight title ended in failure as the Irishman was outclassed by Canadian-based champion Lucian Bute at the Bell Centre in Montreal last night. Magee (11st 13lbs) struggled to cope with the champion’s mobility throughout and was floored on three separate occasions by body shots, the last of which saw referee Pete Podorski instantly wave things off towards the end of round ten.
The champion’s impressive performance was the unbeaten Bute’s 28th straight victory (23 inside) and seventh defence of the IBF crown he captured with a eleventh round stoppage over Alejandro Berrio in October 2007. Magee, who relinquished his European title ahead of this world title opportunity, suffered the fourth defeat of his 12-year career, and will be left pondering his future at the age of 35.
The Romanian born Bute (11st 13lbs), with his right arm casually cocked by his side, edged the early exchanges of this all-southpaw clash as he caught Magee coming in with a whipped jab that he cleverly turned into a hook. Magee’s plan was to march forward behind a high held guard and apply educated pressure by attempting to cut the ring off. For a brief period Brian’s tactics were working when he connected with a double-jab and left hand combination which noticeably rattled Bute in round three.
Parity was restored in the fourth as Bute began to befuddle Magee once more with his constant feints and rapid handspeed. The Irishman seemed momentarily troubled when nailed with a left hand against the ropes but Bute was uncharacteristically slow to take advantage of Magee’s chin briefly being left exposed. Bute gradually started to let his shots go and ominously switched his focus to the body from the fifth.
Ironically it was Magee who was the first to enjoy success to the body in a pivotal round six. However the Irishman’s body assault was returned with interest from Bute who sank in a hurtful left uppercut to the ribcage which prompted Magee to take a knee after a delayed reaction, As he has proven throughout his career, the Belfast man is made of stern stuff and quitting isn’t part of his makeup. Brian rose quickly and renewed his efforts to win what was starting to become a lost cause.
In his endeavour to fight his way back into the contest, Magee was guilty of overreaching with his punches in the seventh as Bute remained one step and several punches ahead of the game challenger. Another lightening uppercut to the body doubled Magee over in pain midway through the session but referee Podorski gave Brian some welcome respite when incorrectly ruling that the punch had strayed low. Undeterred by the official’s lecture, Bute targeted Magee’s mid-section immediately upon the restart and another left to the body felled the Irishman right at the end of the round that this time was acknowledged.
Brian was up quickly once more but was now a mile behind. Despite being confronted with an almost insurmountable deficit on the scorecards, Magee continued to go forward and competed well in the eighth and ninth as Bute coasted. It was ultimately to be in vain though when another hurtful uppercut to the body sent Magee hurtling to the mat in agony which persuaded the referee to curtail the one-sided contest with a minute remaining in round ten.
The talented Bute, the most notable absentee of the super-middleweights Super Six tournament, will take some beating on the evidence of this.
