Super-welterweights Butler to face Cook in all-Canadian showdown at Bell Centre

MONTREAL — Canada’s top super-welterweights are to clash in the main event when Steven Butler of Montreal faces Brandon Cook of Ajax, Ont., on Jan. 28 at Bell Centre.

Butler (18-0-1, 15 knockouts) will put his IBF North American title on the line against the WBA continental 154-pound belt held by Cook (17-0, 10 KOs).

“I mainly want to fight him because he’s Canadian,” said Butler, 21. “We’re the two best boxers in Canada.

“He thinks he’s the best and I think I’m the best. I want to show everybody that I’m the best. And after cleaning up in Canada, then I want to go international.”

Cook is ranked as the world’s fourth best super-welterweight by the IBF while the WBA has Butler rated eighth.

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The 30-year-old Cook called it the biggest fight of his career.

The winner should take a big step closer to a world title fight in the next year or two.

“We’ve targeted getting in position to be mandatory challenger for a world title by next year,” said Butler’s promoter Camille Estaphan. “But that doesn’t mean we’ll take a fight he’s not ready for.

“I have a diamond in the rough in my hands.”

The co-feature has Canadian Olympian Simon Kean (6-0) of Trois-Rivieres, Que., against 46-year-old Raymond Olubowale (11-7-1) of Toronto for the Canadian heavyweight title.

Kean first must face Danny Calhoun (6-1) in Mississauga, Ont., on Saturday night.

The Canadian Press