This time, it’s happening! Steven Butler and Erik Bazinyan will finally square off Thursday – after two years of waiting – on Punching Grace, live from the Casino de Montréal.
The fight, a rare matchup between two boxers from the Eye of the Tiger stable, was initially announced in the fall of 2024. Originally scheduled for March, then June, and finally November 2025, the bout ultimately never came to fruition, as Bazinyan suffered injuries in the gym each time…
But here we are! And as fate would have it, one could even argue that their matchup makes more sense than ever.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Bazinyan vs. Butler
The pressure is mounting
Initially, the matchup was being sold as a stepping stone toward the international stage for the winner… but not the end of the road for the loser.
That narrative has changed. Why?
Because after three cancellations, which led to his suspension by EOTTM, Erik Bazinyan will step into the ring for the first time in nearly 26 months this Thursday. And even after his valiant performance against Jaime Munguia, it will have been nearly 34 months since “Bzo” last tasted victory.
A loss to Butler could extend that streak, perhaps even crushing whatever desire remains for a return to the international stage.
Photo: Mikey Williams – Munguia vs. Bazinyan
Meanwhile, Steven Butler strung together three wins against Jose de Jesus Macias, Stephane Fondjo and Ramadan Hiseni before suffering a defeat last July at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Much like Bazinyan against Munguia, Butler had his moments against Berlanga, even sending him to the canvas before being stopped by the referee a few rounds later.
After the fight, in which Butler suffered the sixth defeat of his career, his promoter Camille Estephan said that “BangBang” had “nothing left to prove,” even expressing his wish to see him hang up his gloves.
But that wasn’t what Butler wanted. Out of respect for everything EOTTM and he had accomplished together, his promoter therefore granted him one last run – provided the results were still there…
It’s “win or go home,” as the saying goes. And that applies to Erik Bazinyan as well, at least according to Steven Butler.
“The winner gets to keep going, and the loser retires. It’s as simple as that,” he declared in an interview with American boxing outlet Your Boxing Fix.
Photo: Ed Mulholland – Berlanga vs. Butler
Roles reversed?
Throughout the Butler-Bazinyan trilogy of canceled fights, Erik Bazinyan was always favored by the bookmakers. His record, his technique, and the fact that he had spent most of his career at super middleweight (168 lb), unlike Butler, who was just moving up from middleweight (160 lb), seemed to convince most boxing purists.
But it appears that “Bzo’s” prolonged absence and reports of a lack of seriousness in training have raised doubts in the minds of many. So much so that, for the fourth installment of this matchup, it is now “BangBang” who appears to be the favorite.
A few predictions
For some, the narrative hasn’t changed.
Laurent Poulin of Boxingtown Québec believes that while “Butler will always have a puncher’s chance,” an Erik Bazinyan “who seems more serious than ever” will prevail by decision, with a precise score of 97-93.
William Dumoulin, this time from Boxing News QC, shares that view, even believing that Bazinyan’s “technical superiority” will earn him a victory by referee stoppage somewhere “in the final three rounds” of the scheduled 10-round bout.
But Nathan Décarie of Punching Grace now sees Steven Butler as “a slight favorite.”
And he’s not alone. An EOTTM boxer, who wished to remain anonymous because of his relationship with both fighters, believes we could see another quick KO from “Bang Bang.”
“Quick knockouts have always been somewhat of Steven’s trademark. Erik has always been more of a slow starter. That could be even more true on Thursday, because Steven has his back against the wall, and he knows it. If Erik is even a little rusty, things could get out of hand quickly…”
The same source also acknowledged that once Bazinyan finds his rhythm, he could have success in the second half of the fight… “But first, the fight has to get that far.”
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Osleys Iglesias
Could it end in a draw?
That’s what division king Osleys Iglesias believes, telling us he sees this as a “50/50” fight… And even in Spanish, “50-50” means a draw.
It wouldn’t be the first time, either, as you’ll notice that both Steven Butler (38-6-1) and Erik Bazinyan (32-1-1) have a “1” in the third column of their records.
Such a scenario might leave EOTTM caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to what’s next for both fighters, but it could also convince the public to demand a rematch…
Tune in Thursday night, in the co-main event of the #OrobioCedeno card presented on Punching Grace, and – before that – on Mise-o-jeu+, where the betting odds will undoubtedly be just as divided as Quebec’s opinion on the #ButlerBazinyan matchup.
