• Inside Boxing

British boxer Butler's bid to make history

Nick Parkinson
September 24, 2014
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Former IBF bantamweight champion Paul Butler explains to Nick Parkinson why he is trying to become the first British boxer since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1911 to win a world title at a lighter weight division. The Ellesmere Port boxer challenges South African Zolani Tete for the IBF super-flyweight title in Liverpool on October 25.

It's great that I could go down in the history books as being the first British fighter to win a world title at a lighter weight division. A lot of people win world titles at different weights like Ricky Hatton, but they go up the weights and it's very rare you hear of someone stepping down to win a world title.

Paul Butler takes on South African Zolani Tete for the IBF super-flyweight title in Liverpool on October 25 © PA Photos
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The history of it is not something I think about every day, but it would be something to be proud of. I know if I get my training done everything will fall into place for me.

My last two fights have been at bantamweight but there has been no problem about making super-flyweight again for this one. I've only got eight pounds to lose at this stage and the fight's weeks away, so there's no problem at all. My strength and conditioning team are really good so I've got no concerns about that at all.

The last time I made super-flyweight was only in December so it's not like it was years ago and it's only three pounds difference. It's not like Roy Jones Jr dropping all that weight he did after he won the world heavyweight title to go back down to light-heavyweight.

Maybe in a couple of years I will go back up to bantamweight. I want to dominate at super-flyweight before moving up again. That was always the original plan, but [promoter] Frank Warren got me a good chance to go for the IBF world bantamweight title against Stuey Hall, so I took it. The plan was always to come straight back down after.

This is by far the best opponent I've faced. I think everyone agrees that Omar Narvaez [of Argentina] is the best in the super-flyweight division, but Tete is up there ranked at No.4 in the world. It's a serious test for me and one I have to come through if I want to unify the belts in this division.

Paul Butler

  • Age: 25
  • From: Ellesmere Port, Merseyside
  • Weight: 8st 3lbs
  • Won: 16
  • Lost: 0
  • KOs: 8
  • After failing to qualify for the 2008 Olympics, Butler turned professional in 2010 and after nine fights won the British super-flyweight title with a first round knockout of John Donnelly. Last March he stepped up to bantamweight before landing a shot at new IBF world champion Stuey Hall, from Darlington, in June. Butler won on points, but quickly relinquished the title to move back down to super-flyweight. His next opponent is ranked No.4 in the world.

He's tall, powerful and a southpaw. Not many super-flyweights have a big knockout ratio, but he's got 16 out of 19 so he's dangerous. He had his first world title fight down at flyweight three months before I made my debut so he's very experienced on top of all that. Stuey Hall was tall but when you get a southpaw they always seem a bit more awkward as well. I'm left-handed myself so I don't mind fighting southpaws - maybe I should be one myself - and I had plenty experience of it as an amateur. I probably boxed more southpaws than orthodox as an amateur. I've been sparring with Martin Ward for this one because he's southpaw like my opponent.

Flyweight and bantamweight boxers don't always get the attention the lads in the higher weight classes do. But if you get a video of one of my fights and one of Klitschko's people would prefer watching mine. There's more action and punches in one of my fights than his. The lighter weights can be more exciting to watch because they go hell for leather.

More people are getting interested in Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg who are super-bantamweights, and that's good to see. Hopefully I can do the same, but I won't be stepping up to super-bantamweight to fight them. Bantamweight would be my limit and Frampton and Quigg are too big for me. As you saw, I was pretty small against Stuey.

I went professional after I won the ABAs. There was favouritism on the GB squad and I didn't think I was getting a fair crack. I went to an Olympic qualifier in Italy for Beijing [2008] where James DeGale and Billy Joe Saunders qualified. I missed out by two points and Darran Langley went on to get the nod over me going to the last qualifier even though I had just beaten him.

James DeGale has pushed on from there but I've had to do it the hard way by starting off on the very bottom of the bill on shows and working my way up. Now I'm top of the bill at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on a big show and I'm glad I've done it that way.

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