By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KO’s) has reportedly completed his training in Palm Springs, California, as he prepares for his March 27th bout against American Andre Dirrell in their Super Six tournament bout at the Joe Louis Arena, in Detroit, Michigan. Abraham will now fly back home to Berlin, Germany, and for two weeks before flying back later in March to face Dirrell on the 27th. Abraham has perhaps the toughest opponent of the entire Super Six tourney by facing the young, speedy Dirrell.

For Abraham, this is clearly the toughest opponent of his entire seven year pro career. I wouldn’t say that Abraham has been shielded by his German handlers, but it’s clear that Abraham’s opposition has been lacking severely up until now. Of his 31 opponents he’s faced, Edison Miranda and Jermain Taylor are easily the best of the lot.

The rest of them have been largely good fighters that I don’t consider 1st tier fighters, even the contenders that Abraham has faced. Part of the problem for Abraham is that the middleweight division, while he’s held the International Boxing Federation middleweight title, has been terribly poor with few talented fighters to speak of.

Dirrell would likely feast on the middleweight division if he had been so inclined to fight at that weight. The division in my view is going through a dead period right now in terms of talented fighters. The super middleweight division, in contrast, is loaded with talent and my guess any one of the Super Six contestants would immediately be the best middleweight in the division if they were interested in moving down in weight.

Abraham has to find a way to deal with Dirrell’s overall talent. I’m not sure he can to tell you the truth. Dirrell is too big, too fast and too skillful a fighter for the slow-footed Abraham to deal with. The only way that Abraham can win this fight is if Dirrell makes the mistake of standing directly in front of Abraham like Taylor did in his 12th round knockout loss last October and let Abraham tee off with his wide, slow shots. Dirrell isn’t about to do that, because why give an advantage to a fighter who doesn’t have the skill set to fight at faster level.

That would be like giving a handicap to Abraham. If Abraham wants to win this fight, he’s going to have to find some hand speed somewhere and try to load up with everything and hope for the best. Abraham has only one chance of winning this fight and that’s by knockout. He’s too slow and limited to beat the talented Dirrell by a decision, so he’s going to have to put everything he has in every shot and hope he can take Dirrell out with one of his wild hooks.