Dirrell pulls out against Ward

[dbf]

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/andre-d ... te-2-62494 looks like he may have an issue with his brain. Shame, for him, ward and the tournament.....

[states]

No real surprise this and real bad news for the Super Six. I always thought it was a mistake to have only Six fighters and it would of been better with 8 in a straight KO seeded format but too late for that now. Shame as it was almost a good idea that never came off

Yeah, guaranteeing 3 fights in the group stage meant it was always in danger of this sort of thing.. Straight knockout would have been easier.

With that said though, even if the tournament has ultimately failed to live up to its billing, I think it's given us better, more relevant fights at 168 than we would have had without it.

[Asterix]

I don't trust a word that come from Dirrell or anyone associated with him. Not after what happened in the Abraham fight. He put on an act and unfortunately fooled a lot of people.

Secondly, it was obvious the fight wasn't ever going to happen. The Andre's are good buddies from their amateur days. Dirrell stated before the tournament that he didn't want to fight Ward.

Thirdly, do you think we'll ever see Andre Ward fight someone World class away from home? I doubt it.

[hurlock]

I don't trust a word that come from Dirrell or anyone associated with him. Not after what happened in the Abraham fight. He put on an act and unfortunately fooled a lot of people.

Secondly, it was obvious the fight wasn't ever going to happen. The Andre's are good buddies from their amateur days. Dirrell stated before the tournament that he didn't want to fight Ward.

Thirdly, do you think we'll ever see Andre Ward fight someone World class away from home? I doubt it.

no fighter would turn down the chance of fighting for a world title.

i felt he made a meal of it holding his face, but i guarantee it bloody hurt :!: & he didnt expect it.

[Hagler2002]

Some people go on like Dirrell's the second coming but after running away for 12 Rnds against Froch and then bailing out against Abraham in the championship rounds Ive certainly seen the light!

[states]

Thirdly, do you think we'll ever see Andre Ward fight someone World class away from home? I doubt it.

No. Although as long as he holds the belt, he can argue that he doesn't need to travel. I have to confess that Ward is one of those fighters I can respect, but never really like.

[Neri]

Just because he may have acted up on the night of the AA fight doesn't mean that this injury is not genuine. It could be very serious for all we know.

If there is something not right regarding his brain then i'm glad he has pulled out and I hope he's okay.

[Lenny]

I do not believe a boxer would invent a story where he has neurological problems. Surely an arm injury or something like that if he was going to pull out? Boxing is a dangerous game (as Dirrell obviously knows given the amount of running and holding he does), I can't see anyone coming up with a tale like this.

I wish him all the best

[whiskey]

I do not believe a boxer would invent a story where he has neurological problems. Surely an arm injury or something like that if he was going to pull out? Boxing is a dangerous game (as Dirrell obviously knows given the amount of running and holding he does), I can't see anyone coming up with a tale like this.

I wish him all the best

Well, take it from me,

In about 4 months time you'll read a press statement from Shaw stating "Dirrell gets the all clear" and he will be back fighting again.

Everyone had predicted he will weasle his way out of this tournament for the last 6 months after beating Abraham and they have been proved absolutely correct.

Showtime's contract is bullet proof and the only way out is through a medical condition. So they went for a corker, one that fitted in with the 'terrible late blow from abraham' and one that was also very difficult to disprove with medical means.


The fact is, they signed on for probably half what the other's are earning per fight and now are wanting to head out the door to earn money for easy fights, rather than take really difficult ones which they could lose for agreed money.

Dirrell leaves with a close defeat for a WBC world title and a win over unbeaten Abraham. He has done very well from what he brought to the table originally - i.e. no fans, no draw, no title.

I only have limited sympathy for Hershman as he has allowed his other pet fighter to have all his fights at Oakland, making a mockery of the level playing field that others have all endured.

Would he have gotten away with 8 deliberate headbutts in Denmark? would he balls, he would have been DQ'd after the 2nd one.

[SweetLikeSugar]

Given the amount of money they will no doubt lose from this fight not going ahead, will Showtime order their own neurological test for Dirrell or just accept his word?

[Autobarn]

I don't trust a word that come from Dirrell or anyone associated with him. Not after what happened in the Abraham fight. He put on an act and unfortunately fooled a lot of people.

Secondly, it was obvious the fight wasn't ever going to happen. The Andre's are good buddies from their amateur days. Dirrell stated before the tournament that he didn't want to fight Ward.

Thirdly, do you think we'll ever see Andre Ward fight someone World class away from home? I doubt it.

i think dirrell is seriously suspect.

first the acting vs abraham, and now the acting about the injury. that's two ways in which he's found a way to back away, and considering how he fought his first super 6 bout - froch - mainly running, holding and "slipping" to the floor, i get the feeling this man has wanted out from the start.

[Autobarn]

dirrell, for all his speed and flash, does not have it mentally. i suspect lots of things will go wrong for him in his career, and there will always be a reason, always be an excuse, always be someone or something to blame it all on.

fighting at world level takes a lot of mental strength and concentration, and dirrell seems not to have "it." less flashy, more methodical and even ponderous pros like arthur abraham, will probably have a vastly superior career overall.

[whiskey]

Apparently talk is now, that Dirrell's manager Al Haymon and Ward's promoter Dan Goosen are the best of buddies and many insiders over the pond have heard various things that between them they didn't want this fight.

Haymon apparently doesn't give a fig about the super six and is only interested in his fighter earning the best money.

Hershman is angry that they could have mentioned issues prior to the Sept 25th date, which he got legal about, as they were not in training, not even talking about the fight- like it was never gonna happen.

Hershman knows he's been fiddled here. Stinks.

[Autobarn]

so dirrell's been looking for a way out for a while?

seems a super 6 would only work with one promoter, in a grittier weight with fewer prima donnas like cruiserweight and the apparent sauerland super 6 in germany.

reduces many of the problems, and the only way a top cruiser would emerge with any true marketability is if he won the whole thing.

[greenyox3]

I didn't see the Dirrell-Abraham fight, but by all accounts AD was winning handily so on the face of it I've never been able to see why he would have tried to take an easy way out. Perhaps someone can enlighten me? Was AA starting to land some shots? Unless that's the case I can't believe Dirrell was faking (it would take some serious front to do that in front of thousands), and if anyone says they have an injury arising from a blow to the head then I think it should be taken seriously and he was right to pull out.

[Autobarn]

I didn't see the Dirrell-Abraham fight, but by all accounts AD was winning handily so on the face of it I've never been able to see why he would have tried to take an easy way out. Perhaps someone can enlighten me? Was AA starting to land some shots? Unless that's the case I can't believe Dirrell was faking (it would take some serious front to do that in front of thousands), and if anyone says they have an injury arising from a blow to the head then I think it should be taken seriously and he was right to pull out.

it was a bit late but AA was definitely getting to him, with a look of panic in dirrell's work.

[ALI]

Dirrell's withdrawel stinks but comes as no surprise. He has quitter written all over him. He ran against Froch, quit against Abraham and now is blatantly dodging his 'buddy' Andre Ward. The guys a punk and i'd be happy never to see him box again.

Just wait and see, this tit will be fighting again by summer next year, i'd bet my house on it.

[whiskey]

By Rick Reeno

Gary Shaw, promoter for super middleweight Andre Dirrell, informed BS.com that his fighter was released from a local hospital after undergoing several tests to rule out a possible concussion.

"Andre was just released from the hospital. He tested negative in the brain scans. We did the urine tests. The commission was there," Shaw told BS.com.

My friend just reminded me of this fact, in the aftermath of the Abraham fight.

[gizmo1]

I would normally not like to comment on a fighter's possible brain injury but this does stink. I'm with G0mez, Asterix and Autobarn on this one. I'm usually an excellent judge of character and something really does smell fishy here. In the unlikely event that it is genuine, I will be the first to swallow my words and hope/pray for his quick recovery but man this just doesn't sound right at all.

[Wrists]

Gomez fella I respect you as obviously a knowledgeable but your obvious allegiance to Froch makes it a bit hard to take your thoughts on Dirrell with any seriousness or credibility.

I mean this without looking for a ruck either.

Dirrell for all we know may have a genuine injury, its too soon to piss on his chips yet.

[whiskey]

Gomez fella I respect you as obviously a knowledgeable but your obvious allegiance to Froch makes it a bit hard to take your thoughts on Dirrell with any seriousness or credibility.

I mean this without looking for a ruck either.

Dirrell for all we know may have a genuine injury, its too soon to piss on his chips yet.

Al Haymon.

That's only clue im gonna give you.

[Wrists]

Gomez fella I respect you as obviously a knowledgeable but your obvious allegiance to Froch makes it a bit hard to take your thoughts on Dirrell with any seriousness or credibility.

I mean this without looking for a ruck either.

Dirrell for all we know may have a genuine injury, its too soon to piss on his chips yet.

Al Haymon.

That's only clue im gonna give you.

Fair play if your right mate

[Autobarn]

Dirrell's withdrawel stinks but comes as no surprise. He has quitter written all over him. He ran against Froch, quit against Abraham and now is blatantly dodging his 'buddy' Andre Ward. The guys a punk and i'd be happy never to see him box again.

Just wait and see, this tit will be fighting again by summer next year, i'd bet my house on it.

i just wonder if he can emerge with any marketability after stinky performances and comng across as a guy that wants to back out of every situation.

best i can see for him is if HBO feed him to bute. trip to canada and a damn good thrashing, in other words.

[ALI]

Dirrell's withdrawel stinks but comes as no surprise. He has quitter written all over him. He ran against Froch, quit against Abraham and now is blatantly dodging his 'buddy' Andre Ward. The guys a punk and i'd be happy never to see him box again.

Just wait and see, this tit will be fighting again by summer next year, i'd bet my house on it.

i just wonder if he can emerge with any marketability after stinky performances and comng across as a guy that wants to back out of every situation.

best i can see for him is if HBO feed him to bute. trip to canada and a damn good thrashing, in other words.

Yeah, Bute might just be the man to spark this fool out cold, but if Bute's wise, he'll stay well clear of this runner. Dirrell has the ability to make anyone look bad, all the top teir guys would be wise to give him a wide bearth. He comes to spoil and steal, fighting him is just not worth the effort IMO.

[Bennyblanco]

Dirrell's withdrawel stinks but comes as no surprise. He has quitter written all over him. He ran against Froch, quit against Abraham and now is blatantly dodging his 'buddy' Andre Ward. The guys a punk and i'd be happy never to see him box again.

Just wait and see, this tit will be fighting again by summer next year, i'd bet my house on it.

Totally agree.

So is the super 6 finished now? Or will somebody come in for Dirrell? Bit pointless really