Photo: Vincent Ethier – Steven ‘Bang Bang’ Butler (34-4-1, 28 KOs) will meet Patrice ‘Vicious’ Volny (18-1, 12 KOs) on June 6, at the Montreal Casino.
Steven Butler knows it: he hits hard. It’s innate and it’s always been like that. He also knows that his boxing is making giant strides since training with ‘Iceman’ Scully in New England. That’s a better kept secret since he didn’t have to take out his entire toolbox to ride a Rolls in 65 seconds…
You can go far with good boxing, but you can definitely go further when you can put anyone to sleep with a single punch.
The fact remains that many believe that Butler-Volny will be played ‘on the line’. And if this is the case, according to ‘Bang Bang’, something even stronger than his ‘superior’ physical and technical strengths will come to make the difference in his favor.
‘It’s my anger, my desire… he will never want this fight more than me. He will never be ready to suffer like me. I said it, I respect Patrice Volny as a person, in life, but in the ring, I’m going to be mean,’ explains Butler.
Really, nothing personal, but…
‘He’s also a guy who’s been putting my name in his mouth for a long time, so I can’t wait to send him the bill,’ he adds.
Parallel worlds
The ambivalence between the respectful Steven and the villainous ‘Bang Bang’ represents this fight well.
It’s not quite the crossroads that Butler-Rolls was, it’s more the junction of borders.
It’s a local fight, but only the loser will receive the tag that comes with it.
For the winner, it will be an international fight which, with the WBC Francophone title under his belt, will ensure him a return to the world rankings.
Even Butler’s training camp had two horizons. With John Scully in town, in Montreal, to help Marc Ramsay in the preparation of Artur Beterbiev, he was able to stay north of the border for several weeks. But as the light heavyweight king was injured, a return to southern skies was necessary.
Alone for others
In addition to these last three weeks, the Montrealer will have had time to benefit from the advice of his eternal mentor, Rénald Boisvert, at the gym, while spending more time with his family outside.
But not too much.
‘Whether I’m here or in the States, I go into my bubble when I’m preparing for a fight. I have no choice to be selfish, to think of myself first in these times. It’s never easy, but those close to me understand that it’s for the best, that it’s also for them.’
If that sounds like a noble cause, that’s because it is.
‘Still chasing the dream’
This was the title of my last interview with Steven Butler who, with a victory against Volny, as was the case with Rolls, hopes to continue to get closer to this dream.
History repeats itself, because the dream continues, even after 10 years among professionals.
It is the one who wears it who has changed
Please note, this is not about the old cliché. We’re not talking about a Butler 2.0, 3.0 or even 4.0, between the man who went to Japan, California and wherever he goes in the future.
Just a more mature Butler, without saying wiser, at least more aware.
‘We can evolve, people should start to understand that I, in any case, am no longer the little bum that I was 10 years ago,’ says the young veteran.
Even in the ring?
What’s fascinating is that no one has ever really questioned his talent.
For a so-called 50/50 fight, it’s also pretty crazy to see that most of those leaning towards Patrice Volny don’t actually see him ‘taking’ control of the fight. Along the way, they instead see Steven Butler, ‘losing’ control of it, losing control of himself.
It’s the instinct of the fighter, or that of the ‘little bum’ who he says is no longer in the ring either. But will he be able to keep a cool head if things get complicated in a Casino more divided than usual?
His answer is yes. Even in his eyes, it is for Volny that things will get complicated.
“Between two Quebecers, there’s a little more adrenaline and that’s why it’s a promising fight. But it’s a fight that will go at my pace, we’re not going to adapt to him, it’s he who will have to adapt to us,” concludes Butler, intending to impose his will.
…because after all, Volny “will never want it more” than he does.
