Preview: Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN ‘Bute vs. Di Luisa’

Lucian Bute (31-2, 24 KOs) vs. Andrea Di Luisa (17-2, 13 KOs)

Lucian Bute, once an unbeaten star on the rise, looks to right his ship when he takes on the unheralded Andrea Di Luisa at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night in a 171-pound catch-weight fight. Premier Boxing Champions’ latest event airs on NBC Sports Network beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features a 175-pound contest between Eleider Alvarez and Isidro Ranoni Preito.

After beginning his career 30-0, Bute has lost two of his last three, including a setback at 175 pounds against Jean Pascal in his last visit to the Bell Centre. That was eight months ago, and now the 35-year-old has seemingly been positioned for success in his return against Di Luisa, who will be fighting outside his native Italy for the first time.

The Matchup: Things started to go downhill for Bute after he lost his 168-pound belt to Carl Froch via fifth-round TKO in May 2012. Bute struggled with Froch’s pressure and retreated to the ropes repeatedly as the Englishman took control in the third stanza. From there, Froch was able to rock Bute again in the fourth before pinning his foe against the ropes to earn the finish with a barrage of punches in round five. In defeat, Bute looked tentative as he offered little in the way of return fire before the bout was stopped.

Now, the question remains as to whether Bute can ever recapture his old form, or if his best days are behind him. His output has decreased in recent bouts, and he displayed a disturbing reluctance to commit to his punches against Pascal. In addition, Bute has been hampered by injuries to his back and left hand. Proving he can recover from the traumatic loss to Froch is as much of an obstacle as Di Luisa will face fight night.

That said, Bute, who owns notable triumphs over William Joppy, Sakio Bika and Glen Johnson, is a far more seasoned fighter than Di Luisa, who lacks a signature victory on his resume. Some of the flaws that plagued him in recent bouts might not be evident in what appears to be a showcase fight for the Romanian-born Canadian. When he is feeling confident, Bute is a capable boxer/puncher with solid hand and foot speed who moves well to set up his power shots. He works the body especially well, and while he went to the ropes too often against Froch, Bute is has proven adept at landing body punches from that position in the past.

Bute’s defense, stamina and chin have all come into question of late, but this matchup offers a chance to get back on track provided his head is in the right place. Also, fighting at 171 pounds might be better for Bute as he prepares for a long-term move down to 168. Fighting at 175 is a risky at this point, especially considering the number of hard hitters at that weight class and Bute’s durability.

The Pick: PBC has set Bute up to succeed, now it’s up to the fighter to put his past struggles to rest. Di Luisa will struggle with the southpaw-orthodox matchup as well as the jump in competition. Look for Bute to wear his foe down with some of his trademark body blows en route to a stoppage victory.