By Scott Gilfoid: Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KO’s) was hoping to make quick work of his December 30th opponent Darryl Cunningham (24-2, 10 KO’s) and then look to put a fight together with IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute next year to take his title. However, with the news that Carl Froch is poised to sign a two-fight agreement with Bute, it appears that Froch is going to hog Bute all for himself for pretty much the entire 2012 year.

Dirrell is going to have to change his plans if he wants to fight for a title in 2012, because Froch and Bute are leaving no openings for Dirrell to squeeze himself in there. It’s too bad really because I think Bute would be perfect for Dirrell’s style. Bute is too slow and would get hit each time he comes forward trying his old hit and run bit.

With Bute out of circulation for all of 2012, Dirrell is going to need to go after the WBO strap, which is currently held by champion Robert Stieglitz. He’s fighting Mikkel Kessler in April next year, and it’s pretty clear who’s going to win that fight. Dirrell needs to target Kessler if he can get the fight. I doubt Kessler will want to go along with facing a talent like Dirrell, and I can see a fight where Kessler has to be pulled kicking and screaming into a Dirrell bout.

This is why it’s probably going to take three or four good fights for Dirrell in 2012 before he’ll be ranked high enough to where Kessler and Bute can’t ignore him. They won’t want to risk facing this guy unless it’s forced on them by the sanctioning bodies. Dirrell is too good and those champions are much too flawed.

Dirrell will take care of Cunningham with ease on December 30th. I mean he could have taken on a much better fighter than this but Dirrell wanted to ease into things a little because of his year long layoff, which is smart. Can’t blame him for that.