In a surprise upset, WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell (27-1-1, 22 KOs) was defeated by #8 WBC challenger Badou Jack (19-1-1, 12 KOs) by a 12 round majority decision on Friday night in a fight that wasn’t supposed to be competitive at the UIC Pavilion, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Dirrell, 30, looked under motivated from the start as he threw single shots and spent much of the time clinching to try and shutdown Jack’s pressure style offense.
Jack didn’t have fast feet, and Dirrell likely could have out-boxed him if he was a mobile fighter like his older brother Andre Dirrell, but he simply didn’t have the mobility to stay away from Jack. All throughout the fight, Jack would cut off the ring on Dirrell and force him to fight on the inside where he was less skilled. Dirrell would then clinch to stop Jack from nailing him with shots. But Jack used these opportunities to rough Dirrell up by hitting him to the body, side of the head and even to the back of the head.
The night started out at the Target Center from chilly Minneapolis with a rematch from a spirited first fight featuring Milwaukee prospect Adrian Martinez fighting Duluth native Trevor Marmon.
Something unusual occurred in the season premier of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. It occurred in the main event at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. It was almost musical. The end came with a thud. Watch the replay, and see if you can keep time with the two punches and bells that ended round two of the fight. First, watch undefeated Rances Barthelemy;s land a hard right to the head of 130 pound champ Argenis Mendez.
The season premiere of Espn2’s Friday Night Fights will begin in sub zero degree weather at the Target Center from Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the main event IBF Super Featherweight Champion Argenis Mendez takes on unbeaten challenger Rances Barthalemy and serving as the co-feature is local attraction Caleb Truax squaring off with tough as nails Ossie Duran. The event is promoted by Iron Mike Productions, Seconds Out Promotions, and Warrior Boxing.