By Scott Gilfoid: Showtime analyst Antonio Tarver was practically gushing over the massive talent that Andre Dirrell (20-1, 13 KO’s) showed in blowing away Darryl Cunningham (24-3, 10 KO’s) on Friday night on Showtime.

Tarver, who may not have realized how much of a knockout artist that Dirrell can be when he’s focusing on his power instead of just his speed, was almost speechless after witnessing Dirrell’s two-knockdown 2nd round TKO win over Cunningham.
Tarver said “I didn’t know Dirrell had that kind of one-punch knockout power. It seems like he’s been working on something…He looks powered up.”

Dirrell really didn’t have to work on anything, because the power was already there. Like knockout artist Julian Jackson, all Dirrell has to do was focus on connecting and his innate god given power did the rest. Dirrell dropped Cunningham with a howitzer of a left hand in the 2nd round, and then put him away for good with a short right hand to the head while Cunningham was holding onto his left. Cunningham didn’t want to get hit with another left hand, so he tried to hold Dirrell’s main weapon. He didn’t realize how much power Dirrell in his right and he paid for it big time by getting stretched out.

Dirrell’s new power game is going to be an integral part of his offense in his comeback. No longer is he content with just being a blazing fast fighter that some people see as a finesse fighter. He’s going to use his one-punch knockout power, which is every bit as good as his knockout artist young brother Anthony Dirrell, to sweep a wide path through the super middleweight division to get to the top cream of the division. Dirrell wants Lucian Bute, Robert Stieglitz and Andre Ward in 2012 to capture their titles. Dirrell may have to share the titles with his brother, who likely will be up next for Ward.

I can see Dirrell knocking out anyone in the division if he lands his left hand. He’s just too powerful right now at this point.