Lucian Bute of Canada retained his IBF super middleweight title Saturday by knocking out Jean-Paul Mendy of France in the fourth round at the Romexpo.
Bute’s left jab sent Mendy flying face down to the canvas, where the Frenchman was counted out by referee Marlon Wright at 2:48 in the fourth.
It was Bute’s eighth defense of the title he won in 2007, but the first time he fought in Romania since 2005.
Rumor is that former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will face Bute sometime in November. Pavlik (37-2, 32 KOs), who moved up to super middleweight is schedule for a tune up fight on August 6 and it will take place at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, Pavlik’s hometown.
Although Pavlik is on top of the list for Bute, Bute’s people have also reached out to promoter Lou DiBella about matching Bute with former light heavyweight champ Glen Johnson, who recently lost to titlist Carl Froch.