Andre Dirrell v James DeGale

[Evander]

Rumor mill says a fight between Andre Dirrell and James DeGale for the vacant IBF Super Middleweight title is a done deal and in the process of picking a location.
It sounds like it will be fought in the United States somewhere and has an outside chance of landing on the undercard of Mayweather v Pacquiao, that might be a long shot but who knows.

Who do you think will win the fight ?

[expe]

Fights all signed, Haymon won the purse bids with $3.1 million, just need to announce a date and venue.

[ReggieDiggs]

Andre is a mystery to me these days. He's been fighting bs guys for his talent for several years & infrequently til as of late. I feel like old Andre would have beaten James. This Andre idk what to make of yet & this fight will go a long way towards telling me where Andre is actually at after so many years in limbo. If forced to pick I gotta use the bird in the hand theory & go with James even though I'm a big Andre fan.

[handsofstone]

I'm really struggling to pick a winner here,its got to be a close fight,both fighters are skilled especially when on the front foot against slower fighters but both these guys are slick so are both fighters gonna be engaging in a chess match? I hope not

DeGale and Dirrell have both been looking great recently,James has fought the better opposition but Andre will be at home,so that might just be enough to give Dirrell the edge,if it was in the UK I would side with DeGale

The 2 of them have been sitting down on their shots more recently with 100% success so it will be interesting to see if 1 of them opts to be the aggressor

[Dennis]

It should be an entertaining fight. Both guys are southpaws who also switch to the orthodox stance at times during their fights. Andre Dirrell will have a height and reach advantage over DeGale. Dirrell is also faster. Both guys are very skilled. I anticipate an excellent fight with Dirrell winning by decision.

[crow]

It's a bad matchup for Degale, because he likes to counter punch instead of pressing, and Dirrel can fight tall and stay away while potshotting.

[ajwesty13]

It's a bad matchup for Degale, because he likes to counter punch instead of pressing, and Dirrel can fight tall and stay away while potshotting.

You will always meet the fighters you are similar to.. For Chunky to step up to world class he needs to have other levels and mix it up.

[Badhusker]

Possibly on the May/Pac undercard?

[MacTavish]

If it's on in the UK how many Americans will come over?

[BAD INTENTIONS]

If it's on in the UK how many Americans will come over?

Like 21

[5burowz]

I think Andre is more skilled, but I also think he's a bit of a mangina. I think Degale could out-man him, but, will he be overwhelmed by not fighting at home and fighting against a guy who is faster than him and simply better than anyone he has ever fought before. I think Dirrell's straight punches could be a problem for Chunky, but, Chunky seems pretty relentless and determined to me even though I think he isn't that technically gifted. It's a really good fight to make though; hopefully the outcome isn't decided by shady judging.

[Taansend]

Titanic hits iceberg

[crow]

It's a bad matchup for Degale, because he likes to counter punch instead of pressing, and Dirrel can fight tall and stay away while potshotting.

You will always meet the fighters you are similar to.. For Chunky to step up to world class he needs to have other levels and mix it up.

I don't see why Direll can't implement the same strategy Groves did. And Direll's twice the athlete to boot.
It was a close dec either way, and we know it's taking place in USA; maybe James can talk his way out of it ?

[black panther]

Chunky will have to take it to Dirrell and bring the bitch out of him. Dirrell has all the tools but lacks heart.

[caldo2025]

Nice little matchup. Looks like a technical battle but I like it. I doubt this ends up on the undercard May 2nd though. From what i hear, the preliminary fights that night will be split between Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank fights. But who knows?

[koolkc107]

All this stuff about Dirrell being less than a man is quite amusing.

How did he get this rep with some of you?

Is it because he boxed Froch's ears off and got robbed of a decision he should have easily got?

Or is it because he was on the receiving end of one of the dirtiest fouls in recent boxing history, one that could have easily ended a career?

Yes, Andre did take his time coming back. Yes, some of what he said during the layoff sounded contradictory or like excuse making...but it also could be he was a guy still dealing with having his brains scrambled and his behavior and comments were a result of it.

But what the folks who want to call him effeminate and other unflattering things seem to not get is this:

He's back.

And he is slowly but surely increasing the level of his competition- unlike some other prominent boxers treated like sacred cows by some fans.

If Dirrell gets back to being the guy he was before that shameful foul, we could be looking at the only 168 pounder with a legit chance to beat Ward, which I felt he was before the foul.

[ajwesty13]

I don't see why Direll can't implement the same strategy Groves did. And Direll's twice the athlete to boot.
It was a close dec either way, and we know it's taking place in USA; maybe James can talk his way out of it ?

Yeah no doubt he should. . Both counter but I think the winner who can mix it up ... they say athlete's don't win boxing matches..

[WadeGwynn]

If Dirrell gets back to being the guy he was before that shameful foul, we could be looking at the only 168 pounder with a legit chance to beat Ward, which I felt he was before the foul.

I agree. During the Super 6, I thought Ward-Dirrell would be a pick 'em kinda fight.

I hope that Dirrell's injury (or whatever) is in the past. I don't blame him for taking time off and just hope that his life follows a different path than Jermain Taylor's. I've seen his last few fights and he looks mighty strong, skilled and quick. He's in shape and taking his opponents seriously (whatever level they are at) and he is taking his work in the ring seriously.

I've seen only a smattering of DeGale's fights and I think he's good but not I'd be betting on Dirrell. There might be some fighters who can take Dirrell to a bad place mentally, but DeGale's not it.

[koolkc107]

That's an oustanding point you make about Jermain Taylor.

Here's a guy that did the exact opposite of what Dirrell did and perhaps it was the wrong decision.

And you even have some posters who find Taylor's plight funny, or some kind of indication of a character flaw when in fact we are most likely dealing with a medical condition created by a guy who went to the well once too often.

As a boxing fan, I am rooting for a complete recovery for Dirrell. Maybe down the road we get to see Ward in a challenging fight after all...

[MikeH]

23rd May in Boston

[zorndeslammes]

The only thing wrong with Andre Dirrell is that he told Al Haymon to go stick it and went and signed a promotional contract with a rapper. Don't think for a second that when RocNation came calling to all the Haymon boys that they hadn't seen what happened to Andre's career. Eventually he came back to the fray and had 3 fights in the second half of last year.

This is a super good fight; I hate picking it because subconsciously I know I'm picking what might not be the best Degale vs. the best efforts of a guy made 5-6 years ago. I was at the Abraham fight and it seems like a lifetime ago now. And yet, that's the last thing we've got to base Dirrell's real skill on! I have to pick for activity and take Degale here wearing down Dirrell and stopping him late.

[WadeGwynn]

All good points. I was at the Dirrell-Abraham fight as well, actually. That was a fun night. Wish there were bigger cards in Detroit more regularly.

[Taansend]

I feel that the best of Dirrell is better than the best of Degale - physically....

Mental strength is another story.

[Butterbean]

All this stuff about Dirrell being less than a man is quite amusing.


Or is it because he was on the receiving end of one of the dirtiest fouls in recent boxing history, one that could have easily ended a career?

LMAO
The only one ending dirrels career, was dirrel himself.
Those actions, cheating, acting cant be undone, and will be both in his own, opponents and fans mind. he is done on A-level.

[koolkc107]

All this stuff about Dirrell being less than a man is quite amusing.


Or is it because he was on the receiving end of one of the dirtiest fouls in recent boxing history, one that could have easily ended a career?

LMAO
The only one ending dirrels career, was dirrel himself.
Those actions, cheating, acting cant be undone, and will be both in his own, opponents and fans mind. he is done on A-level.

Looks like he is headed back to A-level to me.

And the way things are going, he is going to get an A fight long before others who refuse to step up and challenge themselves.

And, that was no act. He couldn't tell anyone his name for minutes after Abraham fouled him.

You want to call it acting, fine.