By Scott Gilfoid: Super middleweight Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KO’s) is actively looking for his next fight and hopes to be back in the ring in either March or April of this year in a tune-up bout. Dirrell wants a fight with IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute within in the next seven months, according to his latest interview at milive.com.

Unlike what some people say about Dirrell being slightly diminished because of the way his last fight against Arthur Abraham ended, Dirrell doesn’t see it that way. Dirrell had this to say in the milive.com interview today: “I would say I’m pretty much glorified, but all I can do is push forward and keep proving myself. That’s what you have to do in boxing. If you have a setback, a true champion comes back.”

I agree with Dirrell. He showed true courage in the Abraham fight and dominated the fighter who at the time was sitting at the top of the Super Six tournament. Dirrell basically softened up Abraham for Carl Froch to come along and beat later on in the tournament.

Dirrell said this about his future plans: “I’m on my way back, and after a warm-up fight then I really really really want to get in there with Lucian Bute to definitely take his title then I go after Andre Ward. Bute is definitely in my radar, I would love to fight him and I’m sure it will soon come.”

Yes, those will be great fights for Dirrell, and I can see him winning both of them. I also want to see Dirrell fight a rematch with Froch in a neutral venue outside of the UK and beat him so that there can be no controversy like last time they fought. In that fight, Froch won a questionable 12 round decision while fighting at home in Nottingham. But I don’t know if it will be worth fighting Froch after he loses to Ward or Glen Johnson in the Super Six tournament. It might be better off just ignoring Froch and moving onto bigger and better things like Bute, Ward, and Mikkel Kessler.

Dirrell has the kind of talent that compares to fighters like a prime Floyd Mayweather Jr., Sugar Ray Robinson and Cassius Clay. Dirrell can do pretty much everything – punch with power, speed, move well and defend. He’s the whole package. The year off from boxing isn’t going to hurt him one bit, because he’s going to be just as good as before.