Joe Louis
versus Max Schmeling it was not.This America versus Germany match-up, featuring Andre Dirrell from Flint, Michigan against Arthur Abraham from Armenia via Berlin, Germany was nothing like the night Louis and Schmeling met in 1938 at New York's Yankee Stadium.
On that night, Louis a.k.a. "The Brown Bomber" so decisively triumphed over Nazi Germany's Max Schmeling, in less than a round, that it made everyone proud to be American.
Last night at Detroit's near empty Joe Louis Arena, Dirrell was far ahead on the official judges scorecards after 10 completed rounds. He had put on a solid display of boxing against a relatively passive Arthur Abraham and was leading by tallies of 97-92, 97-92 and 98-91. I had him ahead 97-91.
But in the 11th round, Dirrell, 19-1 (13)KO, appeared to slip to the floor on the wet ring canvas. As he did Abraham lightly clipped him with a right hand to the head. Dirrell seemed to have his wits about him, even raised his hand to his head in shock, made a face - and then simply fell over to the floor in mock pain and agony.
Texas referee Laurence Cole went for the bait - hook, line and sinker and he immediately disqualified Abraham for the late hit.
Dirrell, who to me seems a bit light on guts, had found his way out of a fight he was winning handily and is thus able to continue on, albeit indecisively, in the Showtime network's Super Six World Boxing Classic 168-pound tournament.
"I got dropped man! He hit me when I was down!" was all that Dirrell was able to whine once the fight had been called off, he was out of harm's way and the decision in his favor announced.
Abraham, who suffered his first career loss after having been knocked down in the fourth round, lost his perfect record and falls to 31-1 (25)KO. He was extremely disappointed with the result and seemed to sense that Dirrell's animated display of pain was a total farce.
"I did not see that he was down," said Abraham. "This can't be a disqualification. I shouldn't have been disqualified for this."
Abraham seemed to be surging as he had won the 10th round on my scorecard. He was giving Dirrell a good going over in the 11th before his night was cut short by the thespian Dirrell, who, with some acting lessons, may have a potential career in Hollywood.
"I did not see that he was down," said Abraham in his own defense. "He's a good actor, he's a good actor."
Expect that Abraham's promoter, Wilfried Sauerland, will aggressively rail against the disqualification loss. Abraham is one of the crown jewels of his promotional empire and to have his man's reputation and record tarnished in this manner will not sit well with him.
Nor should it.
The boxing ring is no place for actors - especially ones as putrid as Andre Dirrell.
E-mail: tkstewartboxing@gmail.com
Source: examiner.com
Acting? You mean like the "acting" Abraham was doing all night looking for a low blow call? Give me a break. The fact is that Abraham intentionally him him when he was clearly down. If this foul had been committed in Las Vegas, Abraham would most likely lose his license to fight.
ReplyDeleteWhat fight were you watching,you must be smoking to much crack.Dirrell was spanking him.Dirrell won 9 rounds of the fight maybe more.The pussy is the one who hits while someone is down.The punch was late as shit for one,and it was as hard a shot as he could have thrown from that position.Abraham is a bitch period.Dirrell made easy work of him.Abraham would lose nine times out of ten to any real world class american champ.His one win would be his lucky knock out when he catches someone slipping,but that's about it.
ReplyDeletedirrell is trash. another black eye to the sport of boxing. the guy dominating the fight was too scared to finish it cuz abraham was looking for a ko. so he faked getting knocked unconscious. the punch barely grazed him and his head barely moved at all when it hit him. he put his glove up to his nose and then a moment later went into his bs acting skit. what a joke. the man has zero integrity and is another black eye to the sport of boxing. what a bum.
ReplyDeleteThe ref missed two calls. 1) Abraham was knocked down not once but twice. The second time into the robes just before - was it the end of the 5th round? - Rule states: If ropes weren't there would fighter have fallen to the cnavas...YES.
ReplyDelete2) Dirrell, may have caught his feet on Abraham's but he too was knocked down. 3) The doctor is supposed to wipe blood to examine the severity of the wound, not hold gauze to it for several minutes. He's not supposed to a) stop the bleeding b) give the fighter time to rest. The doc is asked to access the extent of the damage and either let the fight continue or stop it right there. He waited an inordinate amount of time. You can even see the other doctor trying to look under the bandage while pressure is still being applied by the attending physician. How about Dirrell's entourage jumping all over him and smacking him on the head after he won. Dirrell's walking around in tears because he's in a dillusional state thinking he lost and their slappin' his HEAD. Man! Lot's of drama... Very suspensful, Good fight.
If your defending Arthur pick another sport since you aren't familiar with this one!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was a foul for sure, but no one loose the license for such a foul in Vegas like Sonnie claim.....that's BS. We seen much worse than this one without anyone loosing their license. For such a foul there is usually a warning, but because of Dirrell's acting it ended with a disqualification. Even if agree it's a foul and not acceptable i'm in no doubt Dirrell was acting and that's even worse than the foul. It should have been a "no contest" since it was a foul and Dirrell is a faking chicken. Maybe this sport is too tough for a pussy like Dirrell. I'm hoping for a rematch were Abraham will kick some chicken arse.
ReplyDeleteAndre Dirrell is a clown who is ALWAYS looking for a cheap win, plain and simple. He is another black eye on a sport that is starting to look like a battered mob wife constantly covering her eyes in Jackie Onassis glasses.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't even know why I continue to watch boxing most of the time. Old habits are hard to break I guess. Literally every time I do watch, I almost end up feeling sick to my stomach from all the shenanigans and looking forward to the next fight less and less. At least there is MMA.