by James Slater – First of all, judging by the comments left by fans, last night’s Froch-Dirrell fight looked a whole lot closer on TV than it did to me at ringside. In all honesty, though, it was tough to score the fight in Nottingham for the negative and constantly complaining challenger. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I just don’t see how Dirrell could have been looked at as a winner last night. Buy anyway, that’s just my opinion, and as I say, we all have one.
Moving on in the “Super Six” tourney, we now know that the mighty Arthur Abraham (surely, after last night’s sensational win over Jermain Taylor an early fave to win the tourney?) will face the quick and frustrating-to-fight southpaw next.. How will the German-based fighter with the amazing physical strength and brutal KO power handle Dirrell, and will he have the same problems “The Cobra” had?
Judging by last night’s showing, Dirrell has the necessary blend of talent, speed and savvy, mixed in with a desire to fight cautiously, to give any 168-pounder real fits. Slippery as hell and a good counter puncher, Dirrell, while not great to watch, is a hard man to look good against.
Of course, Abraham is a different, undeniably more accomplished fighter to Froch, but I’d be willing to bet how the Armenian suffers frustration the way the Brit did last night. Dirrell wouldn’t stand and fight with Froch – from where I was sitting due to a reluctance to risk getting hurt – and he sure doesn’t figure to get into any voluntary exchanges with the lethal former middleweight champion.
Dirrell, of course, doesn’t have to get in there and go to war; that’s just not his style. But if he fights as negatively, and moans as much as he did against Froch, he will wind up blowing another decision when he meets Abraham. Possibly the least fan-friendly fighter out of the “Super Six” tourney, “The Matrix” must commit himself more next time out if he’s to impress and get a win. It’s okay boxing to a victory, but you must not fight like a guy at a track meet!
It’s possible Dirrell will get off to a reasonable start when he meets Abraham, and he will likely steal a few rounds with his quick counters and his fast right jab. But eventually Abraham, almost always a slow starter, will catch up with him. Because I don’t believe a man with the German’s raw power will allow any hit-and-run type boxer to beat him. Abraham gets to his man in the end, and I think he will do so again against Dirrell.
There could, however, be some booing to be heard as Abraham has to work hard to nail his rival. Abraham will have done well if he can flatten Dirrell, that’s for sure.
As for the man Abraham brutally KO’d last night, in Taylor – is it possible, even likely, that “Bad Intentions” will choose to retire after suffering his second KO loss in a row? That was the question being asked among press row in Nottingham last night. Taylor may not want to fight again after what happened to him, and the gutsy warrior would be well within his rights to decide to hang ’em up if he saw fit.
But how would that affect the rest of the tourney? Would another fighter be brought in? He’d have to be, of course? Maybe I’m jumping the gun, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Taylor did opt to retire. Next up for him is Andre Ward. I wonder if he’s thinking the same thing.
As for the also announced Froch-Mikkel Kessler fight. One word sums it up: war!