MONTREAL -- Lucian Bute arrived in Canada in the midst of a November snowstorm in 2003 not really knowing what was in store. Black Friday Jerseys 2014 . The native of Pachea, Romania, was about to embark on a professional career that would see him become International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champion and earn recognition as one of the best fighters in the world. He would build a perfect 30-0 record, with 24 wins including the first 15 of his pro career by knockout. And on Monday, he became a full-fledged Canadian citizen. "At the time, I didnt know what was going to happen in my career or my life," said Bute. holding the citizenship certificate handed to him moments earlier by judge Gilles H. Duguay. "But I got settled here, I learned French, I made some friends and I felt good. I decided to build a house here, pay taxes. I was happy here." The 32-year-old Bute was sworn in along with 30 other new Canadians from 19 countries in a ceremony in the gym at the St. Dorothy elementary school in northeastern Montreal several blocks east of the Claude Robillard Centre, where his promoter InterBox has its training centre. The six-foot-two boxer joined his fellow new Canadians in reciting the citizenship oath and singing "O Canada" before an audience of friends, a few dozen well-dressed students who later put on a musical performance, and a throng of media. And then he had something typically Canadian planned -- flying to Florida. Bute was to head south only a few hours after the ceremony to begin training camp for his title defence on May 26 against Carl Froch in Nottingham, England. It will be the slick southpaws 10th defence of the title he earned with a victory over Alejandro Berrio in 2007. It should also be the toughest test after fighting almost exclusively in friendly territory in Montreal, Quebec City and two fights in Romania. But this day was all about smiles and handshakes as Bute got the certificate he has awaited since he gained permanent residents status in 2007. That gave him full rights as a Canadian in every area except that he could not vote in elections. Now he can vote. More importantly for his career, it will give him a passport that makes travel easy. He will have dual Canadian and Romanian citizenship, but the Romanian passport often requires visas and draws questions and delays at border crossings. Bute first came to Canada as a member of the Romanian national team for the Francophone Games in Ottawa in 2001, when he won a gold medal. "I really liked it," he recalled. "Im not saying that because Im now Canadian, but it was the nicest trip we had with the national team. "We came in a private plane. We were 100 athletes in a lot of disciplines. Plus we won the gold medal. I really liked that tournament. And when I got the chance to sign with InterBox I did it right away. (Leonard) Dorin and (Adrian) Diaconu were already there. That was a plus for me. I wasnt all alone." InterBox had a future WBA lightweight champion in Dorin and a hot prospect in Diaconu, both from Romania, but they were especially eager to add Bute, the most gifted of the lot. He was hired as a sparring partner for former WBC super-middlweight champ Eric Lucas rematch with German Markus Bayer, a bout that ended up being cancelled, and then was offered a contract. His first pro fight on Nov. 22, 2003 at the Bell Centre in Montreal saw him stop Robert Muhammed in the third round. They were lonely days early on, far from home where he had lived with his parents and four sisters. He didnt speak English or French and lived by himself in an apartment a few blocks from the gym. "It was a difficult year," said Bute, who has been slowly learning English to go with his French. "Youre in another world. You dont know whats going on." Early in his career, he became frustrated at not being able to answer questions posed to him by a journalist and decided to enrol in an intensive French course at the University of Montreal. Trainer Stephan Larouche helped by speaking to him only in French, as well as mixing in some made up boxing words to replace English terminology that only those two understand. Bute soon was speaking competent French. He also got to know some of the roughly 40,000 Romanians living in Montreal and had a circle of friends. Several were on hand for the ceremony, including his fiancee. And his rise up the boxing ladder went without a hitch. "It takes a lot of will and desire to install yourself in a country where you dont speak a word of the language," said Larouche. Dorin returned to Romania after his boxing career. Bute said he will likely continue to spend time in both countries, but he has built a life in Canada. He owns a house in Laval north of Montreal and has other investments. He is also a spokesman for the Romanian tourism industry and a hugely popular figure in his native country. "You never know what the future holds," he said. "Ive integrated here. Im happy to be here and to be officially Canadian." Chea... CFL Jerseys . Nadal pulled out of the London Games because of a sore left knee, missing the chance to defence his title and serve as Spains flag bearer in the opening ceremony. Jerseys Black Friday 2014 . The Carolina Hurricanes forward scored on an end-to-end rush after weaving through the Czech defence and burying a wraparound behind goalie Ondrej Pavelec at 6:55 of the third period. http://www.cheapjerseysfine.com/ . Was it a point gained, or a point lost? For Jets head coach Claude Noel and a number of players the thought was it was a point lost because after a very good start to the game, they could not maintain it for a full 60 minutes. . -- Jennifer Rosales birdied five of the first seven holes on the back nine and finished with a 5-under 67 on Thursday in the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic for a share of the first-round lead with Katie Futcher, Lindsey Wright and Caroline Hedwall. [url=http://www.cheapchinajerseynfl.us.com/]cheap nfl jerseys . An in-person hearing means there is a possibility any suspension could be five games or more. Early in the first period, Kostka was gaining possession of the puck and coming out from behind his own net when he was hit into the end boards.DETROIT -- Maurice Cheeks is getting a third shot to be an NBA head coach. The Detroit Pistons are desperately hoping he makes the most of the opportunity he was given Monday, when they announced the hiring and did not disclose the length of his deal. Cheeks was 284-286 in the regular season and 5-11 during three postseasons while leading the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers, a team he helped win an NBA title as a point guard. "After spending some time with Maurice, I was very impressed not only with his basketball knowledge but his communication and leadership skills," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "We are very excited to have someone of his experience and talent help take this franchise into the future." Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson helped his friend, Gores, during the search as a consultant. "The leadership and player development qualities he brings as a former player and coach blends nicely with the roster we are building for the future," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement. "Hes won an NBA championship, coached in two NBA Finals as an assistant coach and mentored some of the top young players in the NBA." Detroit has been looking for a new coach since it fired Lawrence Frank in April, a day after finishing 29-53. Frank was 54-94 in two seasons with the Pistons. Cheeks becomes the franchises fourth coach in six seasons -- following Frank, John Kuester and Michael Curry -- and ninth since the 1999-2000 season. The once-proud Pistons are hoping Cheeks can help them snap a four-season post-season drought. Since Detroit won an NBA title in 2004, it has slipped in the standings and with bodies in seats. The Pistons made their sixth straight Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2008, had a first-round exit the following year against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers and have lost an average of 50-plus games the last four years. wholesale jerseys. . After Flip Saunders was fired in 2008, Michael Curry lasted only one season as coach and John Kuester made it through two years, as did Frank. Gores has stressed the importance of this off-season, which has the potential to push the Pistons in a positive direction. Detroit is building around Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight. It plans to build around that nucleus of young talent with the No. 8 pick overall in the NBA draft this month and space under the salary cap that was created by trading away Ben Gordon last off-season and Tayshaun Prince during the regular season. The Pistons are counting on Cheeks to provide stability after he was fired by two franchises following three-plus seasons. Philadelphia let him go early in the 2008-09 season with a 9-14 record and Portland sent him away more than midway through the 2004-05 with a 22-33 record. He was 122-147 with the 76ers and 162-139 with the Trail Blazers over six full seasons and parts of two seasons. The 56-year-old Cheeks spent the past four seasons as an Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach. The Chicago native was a four-time All-Star over 15 seasons in the NBA, helping the Sixers win a championship in 1983. He started his post-playing career with the Quad City Thunder, helping the team win the CBA title in 1994, and later went on to be a Sixers assistant for John Lucas, Johnny Davis and Larry Brown -- one of Detroits many coaches in recent years. ' ' '