Tete will bottle it when I get stuck in
BUTLER BLASTS BIG FIGHT RIVAL
PAUL BUTLER has accused Zolani Tete of lacking bottle.
The skilful Ellesmere Port boxer challenges for the South African’s IBF superflyweight title at Liverpool Arena on Friday night.
If he wins, undefeated Butler will be the first British boxer to drop a weight and win a second world title since Bob Fitzsimmons more than a century ago.
Butler, 26, took the IBF bantamweight crown from Stuey Hall last summer, but relinquished it when the chance of glory at his natural weight cropped up.
He was left fuming by Tete last year when their contest was delayed because the champion suffered a hand injury, something Butler questioned.
Butler, who has won all 17 fights, said: “The plan is to jump on him from the bell, but not stupidly jump on him.
“It’ll have to be educated pressure and it’s going to be something people haven’t seen from me before.
“I believe I’ll stop him, but if it goes to points then no problem.
“He’s bottled it before. I don’t like to use that word because you’ve got to have bottle to get in the ring, but he has done it. If you’ve got that in you then it will always be there. He’s going to be a lot tougher than Stuey Hall, who toughed it out a lot, and he’s got a much better boxing pedigree.”
Although lighter weight boxers earn far less money than glamour division champions, Butler has some lucrative paydays ahead if he becomes a two- time world champion next weekend.
Buzz
A fight against Irish rival Jamie Conlan would create interest and there would be a Merseyside buzz if, as expected, Kevin Satchell eventually moved up from flyweight to the 8st 3lb division. Butler would prefer DOUBLING UP: Paul Butler is after a second
world title a unification battle against Japan’s WBO title holder, Naoya Inoue, who recently ended Omar Narvaez’s reign that stretched almost five years.
He added: “If everything goes to plan with Tete then I’ll get the WBO champion in a unification fight in the next five months.
“Inoue looked devastating to be fair, but Narvaez didn’t throw a punch back.
“I’ve heard he might want to drop down to fight Roman Gonzalez but I’ll fight whoever has that belt.”
Tete could be tougher than any of them and is a seriously good champion – a southpaw who can box, bang and is ridiculously tall for the weight, standing 5ft 10in.
He also wins on the road, with his last two successes in Mexico and Japan where he won the title last July outpointing Teiru Kinoshita.
A lot of shrewd judges believe Butler is special, including promoter Frank Warren who tipped him for glory from day one.
Don’t be surprised to see the Englishman win a highquality contest on the judges’ scorecards. CLASS KICKER: Jonathan Sexton