Registering a unanimous decision victory over the visiting Chaykovsky, Russia native and current San Diego, California resident Denis “The Pirate” Grachev (12-1-1, 8 KO’s) by scores of 118-110, 116-112, and 115-113, Bute in venturing up to the 175 pound limit would in the process obtain the fringe NABF light heavyweight title in Grachev’s first ever defense.
Denis Grachev, left, hits Lucian Bute during NABF middleweight title fight in Montreal on Saturday. Bute won by unanimous decision.
Photograph by: John Mahoney , The Gazette
And although the Romanian born prizefighter in the minds of some would get back on track with this win, in reality his efforts last night can be described as lackluster, uninspiring, or less than spirited against a fighter basically unheard of before his [Grachev’s] recent upset victory against a perhaps overrated and formerly undefeated Ismayl Sillakh.
Over the course of twelve rounds last night Lucian Bute as the lengthier fighter would control range and distance for the first four frames, building a lead on the scorecards in a mostly uneventful fight up to that point. However, that distance and/or comfort zone would be intruded upon by the ever stalking Grachev from round 5 on so that the shorter Russian fighter would begin to force the fight, landing intermittently with a few scoring shots of his own.
This development over the latter half of the fight which in the end brought Denis closer on the scorecards, would unfortunately not translate in to another upset victory over the hometown fighter. Apparently the judges were swayed by “Le Tombeur” seemingly landing the more visibly appealing shots as opposed to favoring the aggressiveness and work rate of “The Pirate” who continued to come forward throughout until the twelfth and final round where Bute for the first time would hold his ground to pummel Denis.
However, with both men doing such an exemplary job of avoiding these scenarios, this in and of itself would lead to a less than eventful outing. And if this was supposedly a fight considered to in the eyes of the public bring Bute on a par to once again contend with the likes of Carl Froch in a much anticipated rematch, then by all outward appearances this performance fell well short of the mark.
In fact, Bute in mainly retreating from the former kickboxing champion and less boxing experienced Grachev appeared tentative, quite hittable, and just as ripe for a knockout blow to the chin from an elite hard hitting opponent such as Froch, who fervently contends, and perhaps for good reason, that Bute wants no part of him. We shall see.
Allan Green stops Renan St. Juste
In a co-main event attraction scheduled for ten rounds at light heavyweight, Tulsa Oklahoma’s Allan Green (32-4, 22 KO’s) as the lengthier fighter would use that reach to control southpaw opponent Renan St. Juste (23-4-1, 15 KO’s) of Repentigny, Quebec, Canada for a stoppage after seven complete rounds.
Working behind his jab, Green was all but dominant over the not so tested Juste who in a less than urgent effort wasn’t very competitive during the course of action. However, not without momentary success, Juste would connect with a double left hand in the fourth round which would deposit Green on the canvass, to then connect with another hard left before the bell that had Allan on shaky ground upon returning to his stool.
Not able to follow up on his previous efforts, Juste would once again become victimized by Green’s jab, who by this time would begin to venture inside and pound away at the Canadian’s head and body, visibly wearing Renan down. Gasping for air in between rounds 7 and 8 and appearing to have had enough, Juste in consultation with his corner would inform the referee that they would not continue, so that the bout would be waived off forthwith.
Perhaps a meaningless win for the once promising Allan Green, a prizefighter who doesn’t seem to be able to take a punch anymore if he ever did. Combine this fact with Allan’s recent physical and perhaps mental ups and downs, and I just don’t see “Ghost Dog” attaining the level of achievement once laid out before him, at least not at the A level.
