POISED FOR THE FIGHT
Herrera, Butler at Casino
American super-welterweight Jaime Herrera called Montreal’s Steven Butler a boy with a million excuses earlier this week. But on Thursday, Herrera was much more reserved.
“I come more humble, more ready to fight. Right now, it’s business. I don’t need to sell a fight to anybody,” Herrera said during a news conference at the Montreal Casino. “My whole career I’ve never been a trash talker. I’ve never been the loud one. The first press conference was to get people to get to know me, who I am. This time, I’m prepared, humble and ready to take care of business.”
Saturday night (7 p.m.), Butler and Herrera meet in the 10-round main event for the vacant International Boxing Organization Intercontinental 154-pound title in the Cabaret room at the casino. Also on the card are promising Montreal welterweight Custio Clayton, along with Victoria, B.C., heavyweight Adam Braidwood, a former CFL player with the Edmonton Eskimos. The main event is scheduled for 11:15 p.m.
Butler and Herrera fought to a majority draw in June 2015 for the vacant North American junior super-welterweight title. The hardpunching Butler knocked his opponent down with right hands in both the first and second round but, for only the third time in 13 bouts, was forced to fight the distance.
It was later disclosed Butler fractured his right hand and would eventually require surgery. He posted photos of his hand on Facebook, leading Herrera to charge him with making excuses.
The 29-year-old veteran Herrera, 15-5-1 with eight knockouts, said he still believes he sent Butler to the first defeat of his career that night.
“I remember putting on the pressure. I didn’t get hit a lot,” said Herrera, from Franklin Park, Ill., an hour northwest of Chicago. “I was stunned by the outcome but, because I got dropped two times, I knew that was going to be the deciding factor.
“This time, I’m coming here absolutely looking for the knockout. You have to knock out the guy just to get a draw. I’ve fought in other fighters’ hometowns a lot. It’s nothing new to me. I kind of know what to expect, what I need to do to get the win.”
Herrera was once a promising prospect in the division. As recently as August 2014, he stopped Mike Jones, 26-1 at the time, in the seventh round in Atlantic City. But he’s only 3-2 since facing Butler, and has lost unanimous decisions his last two fights — against Taras Shelestyuk for the WBO’s North American welterweight title, and to Frank Galarza last November at Madison Square Garden.
Herrera understands the ramifications of a third successive defeat.
“It sucks coming off two losses,” he said. “I’m not Floyd Mayweather. I’m not going to be the best of the best, with the best record in the world. Fighting in their hometowns, it’s hard to get a win. I understand that. Sometimes it doesn’t come my way.
“I don’t think anyone can afford one or two losses. A third one would be tough.”
Butler, 22-1-1 with 19 KOs, had his own demons to overcome in January 2017, after being stopped in the seventh round by fellow Canadian Brandon Cook, who has split two bouts since, but nonetheless remains ranked in the Top 10 by both the WBO and World Boxing Association.
Butler has won four fights since meeting Cook, all by knockout, and is coming off a first-round stoppage of Uriel Gonzalez last month in Shawinigan. Butler, who boxes in both the middleweight and superwelter divisions, is ranked 10th by the WBO at 160 pounds.
“You need to respect your opponent. That’s the mistake I made for my draw and defeat,” said Butler, 22. “You’re hungry, but your opponent’s hungry, too. I know (Herrera) comes to fight. He’s tough. He comes to win. I know he’s ready. He has (courage) to come here again. It’s going to be an explosive fight.”
Butler claimed he has changed his attitude since losing to Cook, and is having deep and detailed conversations with Camille Estephan, his promoter and manager.
“You get into situations where you hit a pothole. You either stop or keep going. I’m proud of Butler,” Estephan said. “Sometimes as a young star, you’re undefeated and think you’re indestructible. I think Steven has matured a lot. He’s approaching everything differently. I’m really impressed.”
Butler wanted the rematch against Herrera to remove the blemish from his record, and Estephan said it will serve as a good barometer to see how far the pugilist has come.
“I was surprised how good Herrera was,” Estephan said. “I remember going to see (Butler) and he was crying. I told him to keep his head up, we’re going to come back from this. Here we are again.”
Clayton, the former Canadian Olympian, is undefeated in 13 bouts with nine KOs. Ranked ninth by the WBO, he has a 10-round bout against Hungarian veteran Gabor Kovacs (28-9-1, 7 KOs).
Braidwood (11-1, 10 KOs) meets Mexico’s Jesus Manuel Paez (9-4, 7 KOs) in a six-round undercard bout. Braidwood is expected to meet Simon Kean of Trois-Rivières in a June main event. Kean (13-0, 12 KOs) meets Ignacio Esparza (212, 14 KOs) for the IBO Intercontinental heavyweight title, April 7 at Centre Vidéotron in Quebec City.
I’ve fought in other fighters’ hometowns a lot. It’s nothing new to me. I kind of know what to expect, what I need to do to get the win.