Photo: Vincent Ethier – Steven Butler wasted no time against his American opponent…
Steven Butler was spectacular last night, crushing Mark De Luca in the 2nd round at the Casino de Montréal. This victory, one of his most significant in his career, is just the tip of the iceberg of Butler’s recent years. To reach this point, he first had to fight against himself, doubt, and adversity, emerging stronger and more resilient.
“It’s a victory that tastes sweet […]. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and of not giving up when it would have been easy to do so […],” Butler said to the media after the fight.
The point where giving up would have been easy was when the Montrealer lost two consecutive fights: first the “heartbreaking” defeat in Japan, then the “out-of-nowhere” loss in Mexico. At that time, many questioned his future, but even in doubt, “Bang Bang” never gave up.
“I’m glad I showed my character and came back stronger,” said Butler, who needed only two rounds to stop the boxer who had gone seven rounds with Kell Brook.
“I Don’t Want to Just Collect a Paycheck”
Ranked 24th in the middleweight division before his performance against De Luca, Steven Butler believes he now deserves a return to the top 15 in his weight class. However, he has no intention of rushing his way back to the top.
“I want to have the tools [and time] needed to face the elite and win the fights. I don’t want to just collect a paycheck; I’m doing well right now and don’t need money. My goal is to be a world champion,” says the 27-year-old, who already has 35 fights under his belt.
For the future, the Montrealer leaves it to the Eye of the Tiger team to find the right fight for him. In the meantime, it’s clear that his performance against De Luca did not disappoint his bosses.
“I think he’s ready for another level,” said Marc Ramsay, EOTTM’s development director, adding that, in addition to being quick, he found Steven Butler to be “very disciplined” in the ring.
“Rénald is Everything”
While the identity of his next opponent is in the hands of EOTTM’s managers, the development of his “toolbox” is in the hands of his coaching team. Among them, the person who played the most significant role in Steven Butler’s ascent and now his return is the man who has been in his corner almost from the beginning, Rénald Boisvert.
“Rénald, if he tells me tomorrow, ‘go rob the corner store,’ I would rob the corner store,” Butler says. “I matured alongside him when I started boxing at 11, joining Club Champion, and he was the one who welcomed me […]. I think we’ve found a great key to success,” says Butler, committing fully to his coach’s philosophy, notably by working “double time” in training.
Steven Butler, celebrating his victory with his mentor of over 15 years, Rénald Boisvert.
Who better than the man for whom Steven Butler would rob that poor corner store to assess his protégé’s evolution?
“After his two defeats, Steven came back with doubt. Doubt isn’t good in a boxing match, but it’s good to have when you want to restructure your career. Since then, he has ‘matured,’ and we’ve been able to work on new things together thoughtfully,” says Rénald Boisvert.
“I’ve Grown Up”
This maturation, which has been a recurring theme during fight week, is something Steven Butler himself acknowledges, describing himself as “grown up.”
As Rénald Boisvert highlights, this maturity is evident in his mindset, transcending into his training and finally, his approach in the ring.
“It’s clear that Steven is no longer the same; he’s more patient now. The old Steven Butler wanted to smash, but smashing didn’t work. You need to penetrate a defense with feints, wait for the right moment, see the openings, and I think he’s greatly improved in these aspects,” says Boisvert, adding that Steven Butler himself is proud of his progress and that there is “nothing better for a boxer” than this state of mind.
Butler versus Butler
After hearing Butler and Boisvert speak, it’s an understatement to say that Steven Butler has grown significantly over nearly nine years as a professional.
When he arrived at just 18, he bore the heavy burden of being the “Sidney Crosby of boxing.” Years later, Steven Butler no longer plays hockey, but he is still a professional boxer who “no longer plays at boxing.” Considering himself the best version of himself today, he no longer compares himself to others, or almost, as “Bang Bang” only compares himself to himself.
“Today, I would knock out the Steven from three years ago, the one who fought Murata,” he says, aligning with Marc Ramsay and Rénald Boisvert.
In the end, if Steven Butler has learned to focus on himself as a boxer, it’s because he boxes not just for himself but as a family man.
“It’s a big sacrifice for my family, my wife, and my two children, but I do it for them, for me, to have a better life and to give a better life to my children,” concludes the Montrealer, boxer, and family man, Steven Butler.
