Bute vs. Andrade II on tap tonight in Canada!

Hopelessly behind on points, super middleweight Librado Andrade was merely seconds away from a knockout victory that would've gained him his first world title.

However, a controversially extended count administered to IBF super middleweight champion and Romanian native Lucian Bute, in the final seconds of the fight by Canadian referee Marlon Wright, prevented Andrade from seeing that fate last October in Quebec, Canada. Instead of proceeding with the count to Bute, who was down and badly hurt, Wright twice interrupted the count to turn around and warn Andrade move to the neutral corner. The final bell sounded, the result of the contest was put in the hands of the official ringside judges, and Bute retained his title by unanimous decision.

Andrade will once again get an opportunity to take the title from the Bute, but unfortunately the cards are once again stacked against him. Tonight's rematch is staged in Quebec, Canada where the controversy ending of their previous encounter occurred. There's no question that Andrade hurt Bute in the final seconds of that fight and that Bute looked withered by about the ninth round, but Andrade will have to get off to a quicker start this time around if he is going to have any chance of victory. It is incumbent on Andrade to understand that he must apply constant pressure to Bute in the early rounds in order to make him tired, rather than waiting nine or 10 rounds for him get tired on his own.

Considering the fact that tonight's contest is also in Canada, I'm leaning towards picking Bute to win the rematch as well. In this commentator's estimation, Bute will be a bit more weary of Andrade's punching power. Bute will likely be inclined to go into this fight with every intention of winning a decision and nothing more. While he won't attempt to stop Andrade (he's simply too tough) and he won't put himself in harms way either. As the better boxer who is the more technically sound of the two combatants, Bute will pace himself, try to win on points, and that will make it very difficult for Andrade to have the same success he had at the end of the first fight.

On the televised under card, former super featherweight champion Joan Guzman will meet Ali Funeka for the vacant IBF lightweight championship. Funeka was last seen in February, dropping a razor thin close decision to Nate Campbell. Guzman has been relatively inactive since his title defense against Humberto Soto in November of 2007, in what would be his final outting at the weight limit of 130lbs.

Scheduled to meet Campbell in a lightweight title fight in September of 2008, Guzman disappointed many by weighing in well over the lightweight limit of 135lbs. As a result, the fight was cancelled. Guzman has had one fight in the last two years, that being a unanimous decision win over the unheralded Ameth Diaz last December (that fight itself being almost a year ago).

Knowing the difficulties that Guzman faced in making weight for the Campbell fight, coupled with the facts that Guzman has been inactive for almost a year and tonight's fight will contested in the lightweight division, it makes one question just how effective Guzman will be against Funeka, who himself is a tall, rangy guy with a high punch outpoint.

Tonight's HBO Boxing After Dark doubleheader will begin at 10PM ET/ 7PM PT.