BUTLER CONTINUES COMEBACK AGAINST FORMER EUROPEAN CHAMP OLTEANU FOR WBO EUROPEAN CROWN
Ellesmere Port ace Paul Butler will face Former Two-Time European Champion Silvio Olteanu for the Vacant WBO European Super-Flyweight title on Saturday 19th December at the Manchester Arena in a crucial must-win fight as he lines up a world title shot next year.
Former World Champion Butler features on Frank Warren’s title-packed X-Mas show headlined by the crunch fight between WBO World Middleweight Champion Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders, and Liam Smith’s first WBO World Super-Welterweight title defence.
Butler, who previously held the IBF World Bantamweight title, is still focussed on winning a second world title in a lighter weight division even though he came up short in his attempt at IBF king Zolani Tete in March when he was stopped in eight rounds.
Since then, he’s smashed his way back with a win over Gustavo Molina in five rounds in July and then destroyed Hector Rolando Gusman last month with one devastating left to the body in the first round.
A potential blockbuster against Irish rival Jamie Conlan, the current WBO Intercontinental Champion, could happen next year and Butler aims to despatch of Olteanu to remain on track.
“This is my first title fight since the Tete fight and I’m desperate to get a belt around my waist again,” Said Butler.
“I’ve proved that the Tete fight wouldn’t dent my confidence and I believe I’ve improved and come back stronger from it as you’ve seen in my last two fights,”
“Now I’m in facing a tougher test against a good former European Champion in Olteanu who will make me raise my game and maybe give me a harder test. He’s never been stopped and I’m looking to be the first,”
“He can bring what he likes to the ring, I’m focussed on what I’ve got to do and that’s to destroy him and get him out of the way so I can move on in my career and get that second world title,”
“That could lead to Conlan next year which is a belter of a fight that I’m confident I’d win, but right now I’m dealing with Olteanu and getting the important win.”
Olteanu, who is Hungarian born and fights out of Madrid, has held the European Super-Flyweight title twice and has lost on points in a WBA World title challenge in 2010. He’s never been stopped in 24 fights and fighting in England won’t faze him as he’s fought around the world.
“I will show this little kid what is to fight with a man. He has been protected fighting in his backyard all his career,” Stormed Olteanu.
If you want to became the best, you have to visit the home of your opponent. I have fought several times in France, Japan, Mexico, Italy only losing for the World title in Japan by split decision and in Mexico by majority decision twice and everybody knows what that means,”
“I have fought five times for the European title losing only once on points, so I have proved already that I am the best in Europe”
“I have never ever been stopped and I have fought already ten titles bouts, so lets see if Butler is able to beat me.”
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