Eleider Alvarez vs Lucian Bute Preview February 24th
The Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada will be the site of this weekend’s showdown between unbeaten light heavyweight Eleider Alvarez of Colombia and former World Super Middleweight Champion Lucian Bute of Romania. The 12-round bout on Friday, February 24th is a final WBC eliminator with the winner supposedly challenging WBC and lineal Light Heavyweight king Adonis ‘Superman’ Stevenson. This is basically a domestic match since both Alvarez and Bute fight out of Quebec. Bute’s last outing was a 12-round draw with Badou Jack in April while Alvarez beat Norbert Dabrowski by a 10-round unanimous decision in December. The Alvarez vs Bute bout can be seen in Canada and the U.S. on pay-per-view.
Alvarez vs Bute Betting Odds
Here are the winner odds from online sportsbook 5dimes.eu
- Lucian Bute +235
- Eleider Alvarez -275
My Pick
The 32-year-old Alvarez will enter the ring with a perfect record of 21-0 along with 10 Kos. He’s a former Colombian Olympian who fought at the 2008 Games in Beijing, China and also has pro victories over Robert Berridge, Isaac Chilemba, Ryno Liebenberg, Andrew Gardner, Edison Miranda, Alexander Johnson, Anatoliy Dudchenko and Isidro Ranon Prieto. Alvarez is 6-feet tall and has a wingspan of 75.5 inches. He isn’t really known as a one-punch knockout artist and his current knockout ratio is 48 per cent. Alvarez turned pro in 2009 and has boxed 137 rounds since then.
The 36-year-old Bute is a southpaw and former IBF champion who reigned for five years and climbs through the ropes with a mark of 32-3-1 along with 25 Kos. Bute’s 3-3-1in his last seven outings with losses to James DeGale, Jean Pascal and Carl Froch, with Froch stopping him in the fifth round in 2012. All three of Bute’s career losses have come since 2012 as he’s getting older. When at his best, he’s got a varied attack and solid power, but his ability to take a punch has always been a question mark.
He stands just over 6-feet-1-inch tall with a reach of 72 inches, so has a slight height advantage, but a reach disadvantage. Bute has 250 rounds under his belt since turning pro in 2003 and has plenty of experience. He’s beaten some fine boxers over the years including Sakio Bika, Alejandro Berrio, William Joppy, Librado Andrade, Fulgencio Zuniga, Edison Miranda, Jesse Brinkley, Jean-Paul Mendy, Glen Johnson and Denis Grachev. Bute has plenty of heart and determination, but a somewhat weakened chin.
Fortunately for him though, he’s not facing a heavy hitter in Alvarez. But it should be noted that Bute has fought the majority of his career as a super middleweight at 168 lbs. and will be meeting Alvarez as a light heavyweight at 175 lbs. This situation is sure to favour Alvarez. Bute has good power with a current knockout ratio of 69 per cent, but it’s hard to tell if it will have the same effect at light heavyweight. Bute’s last outing at light heavyweight was a listless 12-round unanimous decision loss to Jean Pascal.
Prediction…
Bute is an underrated boxer with good power, but he’s on the downside of his career at this point. Alvarez is a solid pro, but isn’t in the elite category by any means. This fight is up for grabs to whoever wants it the most. If they’re both equally motivated, then it could come down to the fact that it’s being fought at light heavyweight and this should lead to an Alvarez win.
A close call, but Alvarez is mo9re used to the 175 lb. weight.
Play: Alvarez -275 @ 5dimes.eu
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Eleider Alvarez betting • Lucian Bute betting