Paul Butler, a bantamweight fighter from Ellesmere Port, boasting a record of 36 wins and 3 losses with 17 knockouts, is set to make his return to the ring on May 11. He will be facing Norbelto Jimenez from the Dominican Republic for the IBO bantamweight title, which may be considered less prestigious than other titles.
Butler’s upcoming fight is set to occur in Ellesmere Port, which is conveniently located just two miles from his home. This fight will be Butler’s first scheduled 12-round bout since his spirited, yet unsuccessful, title challenge against Naoya Inoue in December 2022. Since his defeat against Inoue, Butler has fought twice, successfully defeating Jeison Cervantes in six rounds and Nabil Ahmed in two. However, he has not yet had the opportunity to compete for another title or face a formidable opponent ranked highly in the sport.
That will change against Jimenez, however.
At the age of 33, Jimenez has built a recognizable presence in the lower weight divisions, having competed for the WBA super-flyweight title on two occasions. In 2014, he battled to a draw against Kohei Kono in Japan, and in 2019, he faced a unanimous decision loss against Khalid Yafai. His recent bouts include a draw against Filipino veteran Donnie Nietes and a resounding defeat on the scorecards against Andrew Moloney, a highly regarded super-flyweight in the world.
On May 11, Butler will face the daunting task of stopping Jimenez, who has not been defeated by any opponent since 2011, except for Juan Gabriel Guzman Pichardo. However, even if Butler is unable to achieve this feat, Jimenez possesses an unwavering resilience that his last two opponents lacked. This could potentially work in Butler’s favor as he embarks on his final pursuit of a significant championship title, or as Butler himself puts it, one of the esteemed “big-boy belts”.
“If I didn’t fight in December (against Ahmed) I’d have probably thought, F**k it, I can’t be arsed, and hung the gloves up,” Butler admitted to Boxing News this afternoon (April 5). “I know the kid was no good in December, and he would have never taken a round off me in 50 rounds, but I just needed something. I needed something to get me out there and remind myself I was boxer.
“I got that in December, which I was happy about, and then the plan was to fight Prince Patel. But he obviously vacated his belt, which didn’t really come as a surprise. You only have to look at his record to see he hasn’t boxed anyone. He then didn’t win the purse bids for the fight and funnily enough he vacates. I think he was banking on him winning the purse bids and me then thinking, F**k that, I’m not going to Ghana for seven grand. But I would have done.
“We have faced several opponents and finally found this young fighter, Jimenez, who has competed against Yafai and Moloney. He displays skillful movement and delivers precise punches from close range. He possesses a good understanding of the sport and is not to be underestimated. If I am not performing at my best, he will certainly win rounds against me. However, there are numerous strategies to defeat him, and as the fight progresses, I am confident we will tighten our grip and secure victory.”
Paul Butler pictured with his coach, Joe Gallagher (Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
At the age of 35, Butler, a previous IBF bantamweight champion, fully understands the urgency to take control of his overall professional career. He is well aware that he cannot afford to squander time or endure another loss, especially considering his previous defeats against top-tier opponents Naoya Inoue, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Zolani Tete.
Butler explained the difficulty of conveying boxing to people who don’t truly understand the sport. Some of his friends comment that despite being 35 years old, he still possesses his skills and abilities since he fought Inoue last year. However, that’s not the main point. Butler believes that his boxing knowledge at present surpasses what he had at 24 years old. He knows too much about the sport, which enables him to defeat his younger self. Unfortunately, the body doesn’t allow time for improvement. As the old saying goes, “Father Time waits for no one.”
I have always maintained that as soon as my performances begin to decline, I will choose to step away. I refuse to become a mediocre fighter who accepts any opponent that Eddie Hearn suggests. I will never stoop to that level. It is a situation I will never allow myself to be in.
Although it would be somewhat appropriate for Butler’s boxing career to end with a match in Ellsemere Port on May 11, nearly 15 years after his last fight there, rest assured that is not his intention.
He mentioned that it only takes eight minutes to drive from his location. He hasn’t competed in Ellesmere Port since his final amateur fight back in 2010. Following his victory in the ABAs, there was a farewell event held at a venue very close to where he will be boxing in May. It brings him joy to see that everything has come full circle.
