City Boxing's Grachev vs Bute Nov 3rd By Scott Gilfoid

Former IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (30-1, 24 KO's) is really showing some iron balls by taking on the huge puncher Denis Grachev (12-0, 8 KO's) on November 3rd at the Bell Centre, in Montreal, Canada. Grachev "The Pirate" is one of the biggest punchers in the light heavyweight division and clearly a bigger puncher than Carl Froch.

If Bute can get past Grachev without getting blown out by his huge power, then I have no doubts in my mind that Bute will be able to defeat Froch in a rematch. Grachev is stronger and faster than Froch. He can do everything that Froch can do, but better because he's quicker. I mean, it's going to be pure hell for Bute to try and survive 12 rounds against Grachev because he cuts off the ring like a real pro.

You can't get away from Grachev because he's so good at cutting off the exit routes. We saw how Ismayl Sillakh was forced to run around the ring all night long to try and escape Grachev's pressure last April. It worked for a little just barely but eventually Grachev caught up with Sillakh and knocked him out in the 8th round. That wasn't a lucky win for Grachev. He won because he was able to pressure Sillakh all night long until he eventually caught up to him and blasted him out.

Bute is going to have to go back to his old fighting style where he was a hit and run artist and focus on landing and moving all night. He needs to fall out of love with his uppercuts and give up on the idea of trying to knock Grachev out, because that's not going to happen. Grachev's chin is way too good, and it's too risky to trade with him. I promise you if Bute tries to knock Grachev out, he's going to be knocked himself because he'll be too exposed to Grachev's power.