Butler & Cook Speak
Who is the best super welterweight in Canada? There’s only one way to find out. Steven Butler and Brandon Cook are both young, undefeated and hungry for more. In recent months, Canadian fight fans have been talking a lot about what a dream fight it would be to have these two duke it out. This week Cook journeys up from Ontario to rumble in Butler’s hometown of Montreal and the winner gets the bragging rights plus another championship belt to add to their collection. It’s going to be explosive.
Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook is currently 17-0 with 10 knockouts and the NABA super welterweight champion. Steven Butler is 18-0-1 with 15 KO’s and holds the IBF North American title. Both belts will be on the line when these two undefeated warriors face-off on Saturday night at the Bell Centre. It’s a high-stakes, high-profile clash between two undefeated pugilists to decide the best boxer in Canada at 154. And who will go on to bigger, more lucrative matches in the near future.
Our friends at FightFan.com recently interviewed both young men, so to further whet everyone’s appetite for what promises to be a thrilling clash with plenty of fireworks, here are excerpts from Ace Freeman’s talks with two undefeated warriors who will be putting everything on the line Saturday night. Check it out:
Steven Butler: I spoke to my manager and said, “Let’s get this fight with Brandon Cook done because all the fans want to see it.” My manager asked why, and I said with all the fans clamouring for it, we should give them what they want. I am ready for this challenge and I work hard and I am looking forward to headlining at the Bell Centre on January 28.
Brandon Cook: I’ve always been the type of fighter who doesn’t really care who he fights. I leave that part up to my team. I’d been hearing that Butler’s people have been calling me out since last year. At the end of the day I’m 17-0 and he’s 18-0. I’m 30 years old and in my prime; he’s 21. I’m ready for a big fight. He’s number one in Canada they tell me, and I’m number two. I just want the top spot and he’s the guy I have to beat and I don’t care that I’m going to his hometown to do it.
Butler: I am a guy who thrives on the pressure, so I feel very good about it. It adds some pressure with the media but I feel that’s something I am good at dealing with so it adds excitement and motivation. For me, I do my job in training and that translates to doing my job in the ring.
Cook: You know it probably will be a pro-Butler crowd but I already have over 300 people coming. They’ll be coming in on buses. I sold all the tickets allocated to me and have been telling people to keep buying them online. It will be a dream come true to beat someone in a big fight in front of their hometown crowd at the Bell Centre. They think it will be a pro-Butler crowd but I have a ton of people coming. And they’re loud! One thing is for sure, this will be one of the best fights the Bell Centre has seen in a while. I can guarantee that.
Butler: Brandon Cook is good. He’s a complete fighter. I know he can punch and be aggressive but he can also box as well. I feel I am the better fighter but it will be a good fight. For him, he’s 30 years old and he needs this fight to face an undefeated fighter like me. This is kind of like a last chance for him because after I beat him, he’s going to need to find other work.
Cook: I haven’t seen much outside of his last fight with Janks Trotter and a few fights before that. I haven’t seen him fight a full fight or be tested. I mean they brought him along with 18 fights in two years. You have to build up your record toward a big fight like this but he’s going to realize that he’s never fought anyone like me. When I hit him, he’s going to realize he’s in for a fight. I’m not a bum being brought in to lose.
Butler: I do think he was a little bit nervous. I saw in his eyes that he is not afraid but I saw uncertainty. I think he’s unsure. He’s coming to win but I think he’s unsure, whereas I am sure of myself. I know I am coming to win.
Cook: Everything is falling into place. I am putting everything I’ve ever learned and known in boxing into this one fight. The hard work is in the preparation and that makes fight night the easy part. I have a new strength and conditioning coach and everything feels like it’s coming together for this moment. I’m putting everything on the line and I’ll be ready to go January 28th. — Ace Freeman from FightFan.com
