‘The Baby-faced Assassin’ can already boast an IBF bantamweight belt from his impressive victory over Stuart Hall in June of last year but has the chance to add the super flyweight version to his haul at what is currently the 26 year-old’s ideal weight.
Speaking to WBN last week, opponent Tete, also 26, stated that he was planning on ‘beating up’ Butler when the pair face-off on Merseyside in the South African’s first defence of the belt he claimed in defeating Teiru Kinosita in Japan last summer.
Butler has admitted that he is weary of the rangy champion’s size and strength, but has confidence that he fully possesses the tools necessary to combat Tete and take the title in front of his adoring North West fans.
“Tete’s records says he carries a lot off power for a super flyweight as he has 16 KO’s from his 19 wins. So we’ve got to respect that and feel him out for a couple of rounds and see if he really does carry that power,” Butler explained to World Boxing News.
“He has done a couple off interviews saying he wants to unify the division and then go to junior featherweight, which is super bantamweight I think? So that tells me he’s finding it hard to make super flyweight and I’ll make him pay for staying down at this weight.
“I’m not expecting a toe-to-toe battle although I’d love that with him because that would suit me. I think he’s going to try just breaking me down but that’s never going to happen as I am going to be all over him like a rash!
“He will have no time to rest, so if he holds his feet and thinks he can dig into the trenches, then I’m here all night for him.”
Liverpool’s famous Dockland venue will set the scene for a huge night in the life of Butler if he can become one of only a select group of British fighters to win world championships at two different weight divisions, and after winning his first world title in Newcastle, Butler is looking forward to returning to the place he considers his home.
“I’m expecting a huge reception,” said Butler. “I’ve sold just over 700 tickets for this and it’s a massive night for me. I’ve been waiting for this since last year and so have my fans so I am expecting them to be on top form as always. “I’m sure it will be something Tete has never seen or experienced before.
“Winning a world title there would mean a lot to me as I always said I wanted to win my first world title in Liverpool. We were obviously offered a great opportunity to box Stuey in Newcastle and we took it. The Liverpool fans are amazing so it will mean everything to win it for them, but more importantly for my fans from Ellesmere Port that follow me everywhere I go and have been amazing every fight.
“They can expect a great fight because I’m not going to stand there and have a chess match with Tete. I am going to put it right on his toes an make him buckle. I’m going there to take his title in fashion!”
On what he plans he has for the future if victorious on Friday night, Butler concluded: “I’d like to make my mark at super flyweight for a year, clean up and then move back up to bantamweight where I have got some unfinished business.
“I would’ve really loved to defend my old title, but at the time it wasn’t the right thing to do. I’m a little bit too small for bantam at the moment but next year I’ll be ready for them.”
Butler v Tete is live on BoxNation on Friday, 6th March. To subscribe click BoxNation