Bute stops DiLuisa in 4th round in return to ring

Published Aug. 15, 2015 11:40 p.m. ET

foxsports

MONTREAL (AP) Former world champion Lucian Bute of Montreal emerged from a 19-month ring absence to stop European light heavyweight champion Andrea Di Luisa in the fourth round Saturday night.

Bute (32-2, 25 knockouts) knocked down Di Luisa (17-3) with three left hooks in the fourth. After an eight count, he charged in for another flurry of punches before the Italian's trainer threw in the towel and referee Steve St. Germain stopped the bout.

Bute was the IBF super-middleweight champion from 2007 until a crushing loss to Karl Froch in 2012. He had not fought since a loss to Jean Pascal in January 2014.