Andre Dirrell (24-2, 16 KOs) put in a game effort this afternoon in losing a 12 round unanimous decision to James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) in their fight for the vacant IBF super middleweight title Agganis Arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Dirrell, 31, lost the fight despite appearing to win most of the round. His problem was he was knocked down twice by DeGale in the 2nd round.
James DeGale MBE has warned Andre Dirrell that he is ready to pour his heart and soul into winning the vacant IBF World Super Middleweight title in Boston on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.
If there has been an irksome, fly-on-s*** type presence hanging over the media workouts and pressers this week in Boston ahead of tonight’s fight between James DeGale and Andre Dirrell, look no further than the non-boxing brother of the Dirrell family – Willie – who has spoken to iFLtv in between making an ass of himself – to state unequivocally that he believes the IBF 168lb title is going back to Michigan.
Dirrell, who has made it his job to be a professional pain in the backside with regards to this fight – stalking DeGale over Instagram and calling him a loser at the open workout this week – looked even more stupid posting for pictures with his fists raised at the head to head as if it were he getting in the ring and not his brother.
Nigel Benn- Michael Watson- Chris Eubank: three names that perhaps do not signify pound for pound pedigree but a trifocal of British pugilists that waged successive wars against each other across the early nineties. Frankly, any boxing purism would have been out of place in a hellish round robin of barbaric contests between the trio predicated upon genuine animosity and bloodlust that were more reminiscent of trench warfare than of any sporting endeavour. For the pleasured served up, tolls were taken, with Michael Watson suffering a cruel brain injury in his bout with Chris Eubank that would permanently alter his life. Speak to the irrepressible Watson today though and not a modicum of self-pity or regret will be detected in his attitude.
Rarely in life or in boxing do you get a second chance to improve upon your a first impression. Once a fighter loses as a favorite or puts on a poor performance, they can be casted away and shot down the ladder only to have to brush him or herself off and pick up pieces to climb back up again. This generally can be the case for non-popular boxers who don’t have a barn-burner style.
DeGale insists he is in better shape than ever ahead of the history making fight for the vacant 168lb IBF strap, which, should he win, means he will become the first British gold medal winning Olympian to go on and win a world title in the paid ranks.
He said;
Making history has become a common occurrence in modern day sport. Right across the board ‘records’ are broken with alarming regularity, records which have principally been created to serve the increasing demand for content from competitive media outlets.
Subsequently, the significance of such a statement has lost the gravity it once possessed, wheeled out on almost every sporting occasion to provide impetus where it doesn’t belong. We can’t help but become desensitised to the context of these achievements, what has passed before and whether or not they’re indeed worthy of our reverence.
The latest attempt at boxing history takes place within the Agganis Arena, Boston, this Saturday night when British super-middleweight James DeGale takes on American Andre Dirrell for the IBF World super-middleweight title – vacated by Carl Froch earlier in the year.
WBC 168lb mandatory challenger and long time James DeGale rival George Groves, has tipped his old foe to do the business against Andre Dirrell in Boston on Saturday night, saying;
“He’s in with a chance, a real good chance.”
Groves, who holds victories over the Harlesden fighter in both the amateur and paid ranks, told Sky Sports that while he doesn’t think DeGale can get a stoppage “a points win wouldn’t surprise me.”
DeGale is chasing history when he fights Dirrell by attempting to become the first Brit gold medal winning Olympian to go on and win a world title in the paid ranks. The two men will be contesting the IBF strap recently vacated by Carl Froch.
Carl Froch has questioned Andre Dirrell’s mentality ahead of Saturday’s PBC fight with James DeGale, writing in his Sky Sports column that “the computer might not be working” with regards to the American’s mental effectiveness – something that has been referenced continually since the 2010 fight with Arthur Abraham in which Dirrell suffered neurological injuries.
Froch, whose former IBF belt the 2 men are contesting at the weekend, fought Dirrell himself back in 2009 as part of the Super Six tournament – getting the nod for what was widely perceived as a hometown (split) decision in the eyes of many – especially the Americans.
British fans will remember Dirrell from his 2009 fight with Carl Froch. A fight most are loathe to admit he was extremely unlucky to lose.
The pre fight abuse of Dirrell by the British fans was something to behold with the American and his team rising to the bait beforehand, insulting Froch’s mother in fight week and acting every bit the loud, obnoxious and arrogant fighter he now concedes was just a part he WANTED to play.