Claggett, Butler, Plus a Young Blue-Chipper Score Big at the Montreal Casino

Seven loss, 34-year-old Calgary, Alberta, native Steve Claggett has got himself on the verge of fighting for a world title. The veteran can not help but be in an exciting fight. Tuesday night at the Montreal Casino, there was a pretty good scrap between Claggett and Mexican veteran Miguel Madueno 30-2 (28). A good toe to toe fight that Clagget got the best of it. A counter left hook, and a right hand buckled Madueno in the second. The pair fought at a frantic pace early on. It was Claggett landing the more attention-getting shots, and out-hustling the Mexican. Claggett scored with a big right hand with 30 seconds left in the third. Madueno was simply showing too much real estate, and the work rate of Claggett found its mark enough to carry round after round. Madueno chopped away with right hands and left hooks of his own, but he was constantly outworked and outlanded. A big right hand at the end of the sixth scored for the Canadian that buckled Madueno. Late in the fight, the only question left was, could Claggett get the stoppage? The Canadian scored with an uppercut late in the seventh that staggered Madueno with less than a minute to go in the round, and he followed up with a barrage of shots. Madueno came out aggressively in the 9th, but it was short-lived as Claggett regained control and made Madueno target practice for the remainder of the 10-round affair, picking him apart on the inside, landing hooks and right hands at will. The decision was academic, and Claggett moved his record to 37-7-2 (25) with Scores of 99-91X2 and 98-92.

In the co-main event, fan favorite Steve Butler of Montreal, Canada, moved his record to 33-4-1 (27) by picking up a ninth-round TKO of Ivan Alvarez of Mexico. The Montrealer got off to a quick start and didn’t let off the gas. Butler was able to score with several right hands in the opening round and did not start slowly like he has done so many times in the past. Butler scored with basic 1-2's, as he built up a lead on the cards early in the fight. He was clearly the quicker fighter and constantly beat Alvarez to the punch. He'd mixed in some body shots on Alverez, who had a history of not liking body shots. Butler was able to walk his man back into the ropes and fire, clean, right hands. Alvarez did not appear to be in the best condition, with his loose belly hanging over his trunks, which seemed a step too slow as Butler would drop his hands a la Pernell Whitaker and make Alvarez miss over and over again. There was some confusion at the end of the fourth round, with both guys hitting each other very late. Alverez reached around the referee to hit Butler, but somehow no points were deducted. The Canadian began showboating and antagonizing his opponent, which may have served as some motivation. Alvaro showed some life in the sixth and seventh rounds. The Mexican scored with a big uppercut in the sixth. Then in the seventh, a left hook -right hand combo scored cleanly, which hurt Butler. Alvarez delivered a big right hand midway through the seventh that again hurt Butler. With the fight perhaps tightening up on the cards and the momentum shifting. Butler got going. He scored with a nice left hook -right-hand combo early in the ninth round that backed Alverez into the corner. Butler unleashed a barrage of power shots that dropped his opponent. After the longest count in history, Alverez continued. Butler stayed heavy on the front foot and scored a big right halfway through the ninth, and another against hurt Alvarez with about a minute to go in the round, Butler dropped his man again with another whirlwind of shots, and Alvarez dropped again. He seemed more exhausted than hurt, and the fight was rightly waved off with around 30 seconds left in the round.

Also on the undercard was touted prospect 18-year-old Wilkens Mathieu, from Quebec, Canada, and the youngster impressed. Nathieu showed off skills, ring IQ, and combination punching in dominating a rugged and game opponent in Grzegorz Mardyla. Taking a 60-54 x3 decision, scoring a shout-out on all three cards in the scheduled six-round super middleweight affair.