SPORTS SHORTS 240: WHO IS PAUL BUTLER? JOHN RIEL CASIMERO’S NEXT FOE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 17 Oct 2021
Paul Butler, age 32 from Ellesmere Port, England, held the IBF bantamweight title in 2014 and challenged for the IBF superflyweight title in 2015. He also held multiple regional titles, including the British and Commonwealth superflyweight titles in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
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Butler told RingTV that he always played football at a young age. His dad was a massive boxing fan, and was a good friend with Paul Lloyd, the former British, Commonwealth and European bantamweight champion. He always used to watch Lloyd box and he was from Butler's amateur club.
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Butler remembered watching Nigel Benn fought Gerald McClellan which was an absolute war, and it gave him a buzz. He watched Naseem Hamed battled Steve Robinson in Wales and ever since then he went to the gym and never looked back. He stopped playing football and concentrated on boxing.
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Butler recalled having his first bout at eleven, and remembered boxing his fourth fight in New York City with Juan LaPorte who boxed Barry McGuigan.
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He said he was beaten and got robbed and he was crying his eyes out on the side and Juan LaPorte said to him, "Listen to me, you’re coming back to the Garden to win a world title," and ever since then he wanted to go on and win a world title.
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"I always set myself targets. I want to win the British title, Commonwealth, and as an amateur I had a goal of going to the Olympics," said Butler. He accomplished such goals except qualifying for the Olympics. His frustration for his failure to join the British Olympic boxing team made up his decision to turn professional.
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"I didn’t think they gave me a fair chance of qualifying for the Olympics. That could have effected my career. I believe I could have done well at the Olympics in the weight I was at," he told RingTV.
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He won over Mexico's Willibaldo Garcia by split decision on June 25, 2021 at the Whites Hotel, Bolton, England to capture the vacant WBO international bantamweight title.
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Butler defeated fellow Englishman Stuart Hall by unanimous decision on September 17, 2017 at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, England to win the vacant WBA Continental bantamweight title.
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Prior to that fight, he won over the same Stuart Hall by split decision on June 7, 2014 at the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England to seize the IBF bantamweight title in his 16th career fight.
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He stopped Argentina's Oreste Bernabe Nieva by 4th roundKO on March 8, 2014 at the Aintree Equestrian Centre, Liverpool, Englandto win the vacant WBA intercontinental bantamweight title.
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Butler added the vacant WBA intercontinental superflyweight title to his collection by defeating Mexican Ruben Montoya by unanimous decision on December 7, 2013 at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, England.
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Two months earlier he outclassed Chilean Miguel González by unanimous decision on September 21, 2013at the Copper Box Arena, London, England for the WBO intercontinental superflyweight title.
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In his 11th professional fight, he became Commonwealth superflyweight champion by a 5th round TKO of Nigerian Yaqub Kareemon April 20, 2013 at the Wembley Arena, London, England.
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He annihilated countryman John Donnelly by first round KO in just 1:09 on November 9, 2012 at the Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool, England to become British superflyweight champion in only his 9th fight.
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His first loss was dealt by South African Zolani Tete by 8th round TKO on March 6, 2015 at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, Englandfor the IBF superflyweight title.
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His other defeat was by unanimous decision to Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodríguez on May 5, 2018 at The O2 Arena, London, England.
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All of Butler's 35 fights were done in the United Kingdom. His fight with Casimero is scheduled on December 11, in either the UK or the Middle East.
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Paul Butler, the mandatory challenger to John Riel Casimero’s WBO world bantamweight title has recently signed a promotional contract with Probellum ahead of their December 11, 2021 showdown.
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Probellum officially announced on October 14, that they have signed Butler, the former IBF world bantamweight champion, a week after they won the purse bid conducted by the WBO to promote the mandatory world title showdown.
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In a statement from Probellum President Richard Schaefer, recognized Butler as one of the best fighters in the UK. "We're very pleased to welcome Paul Butler to the team," said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.
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"He's worked extremely hard for a number of years to gain another shot at a world title, and we're delighted that we've been able to win the purse bid for it."
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"He is one of the best fighters that the UK has produced over the past decade, and at just 32-years-old, still has plenty of big nights ahead of him, so we're certain this will be a long and successful relationship."
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Butler thanked Probellum for the support and for promoting his upcoming fight with Casimero.
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“Probellum have already shown their total support for me by winning the purse bid for my WBO bantamweight title fight against John Riel Casimero, so I’m proud to have them backing me and I can’t wait to once again become world champion in the near future,” said the British boxer.
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Probellum allocated $105,000 to win the purse bid put up by WBO. The purse will be split between Casimero and Butler with the Filipino getting 75 percent as defending champion and the Briton getting 25 percent.
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"Probellum have already shown their total support for me by winning the purse bid for my WBO bantamweight title fight against John Riel Casimero, so I'm proud to have them backing me and I can't wait to once again become world champion in the near future."
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San Miguel lived to fight another day, crushing Talk n Text, 103-90, in Game 6 on Friday to force a sudden-death match for one slot in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
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The Beermen set the stage for a Game Seven on Sunday. Magnolia is waiting for the winner as they already entered into the PBA Philippine Cup finals after eliminating Meralco in six semifinal games with a 93-85 win.
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LeBron James has won 4 NBA titles.
Players Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Honors: 4x Finals MVP, 4x MVP, 17x All-Star, 17x All-NBA Team Selection, 6x All-Defensive Team Selection, 2007-2008 Scoring Champion, 2019-2020 Assist Champion, 2003-2004 Rookie of the Year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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