By Allen Hmiel: An Undefeated record and limitless potential seemed ready to spur Andre Dirrell to great heights. The Super Six Tournament was just a stepping stone to introducing the smooth light hitting Super Middleweight to the boxing world. But a hard looping punch landing on a sitting Dirrell thrown by a frustrated beaten Arthur Abraham brought Dirrell’s boxing career to a sudden halt. Not since Humpty Dumpty had his egg shell crack during his fall has a fighter fallen faster than Dirrell has.

Once on top Dirrell has fallen into a foggy state of confusion and disarray. Dazed confused and knocked out a wobbly staggered crying Dirrell has never ever recovered from the potentially career ending cheap shop from Abraham. A suspected brain injury and a shattered confidence has left Dirrell in a state of perpetual confusion and disarray. With his career in limbo and his confidence questioned can Dirrell ever return to a once promising career? How do you argue with medical advice over a brain injury? But one has to also question who is really telling Andre what to do from his inner circle? Not wanting to fight Ward was an eyebrow raising dilemma that will hover and loom over Dirrell’s head the rest of his career.

Boxing fans will forever question if Andre ducked Ward out of friendship or did he have doubts about his ability to recover from the knockout by Abraham. When a fighter begins to question his own vulnerability and ability to rebound and comeback from a devastating knockout, he sometimes comes back a lesser fighter or never really comes back at all. Fans wonder, Promoters wonder and the fighter wonders what happens next? I am not sure if Andre is being given the correct career advice from his inside family of relatives or are the doctors informing Andre there are serious brain malfunctions and concerns of your ability to withstand another shot to the head? It is so sad to see such a state of confusion and so many mixed signals coming from the Dirrell camp. Hopefully he is getting the correct guidance and counseling needed.

If Andre Dirrell is to recover and box again in the future it will be a blessing and if he is not healthy enough to resume a once promising career, then wish him good luck in all future endeavors. Boxing can be rewarding and fruitful to some fighters but boxing can also be brutal and harsh to other fighters. Hope Andre get well and goes on to a healthy and successful life outside of boxing. Has the fat lady sung on Dirrell’s career?