Dirrell: Bute is a protected fighter

By Boxing News - 12/27/2011 - Comments

Image: Dirrell: Bute is a protected fighterBy Scott Gilfoid: Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KO’s) is looking to accomplish big things in 2012 with his comeback, which starts this Friday night against Darryl Cunningham (24-2, 10 KO’s) on SHOWTIME.

Dirrell wants to shine in this fight and hopefully get a title shot against IBF super middleweight champion not too far down the line.

Dirrell told boxinginsider.com “I want him [Bute]…He’s a protected fighter. He’s a champion, no doubt. He has great hand speed, he has great foot speed, he’s a good boxer. But we all know he’s in there with B and C+ fighters. You know he has not been in in that ring with tough competition.”

You can say that again. The closest thing to tough competition that Bute has faced was his recent bout against 42-year-old Glen Johnson, but that win loses its meaning given that Johnson had been beaten by Carl Froch the fight right before that.

Bute may have done what he’s supposed to do by fighting his mandatory challengers on schedule but he didn’t exactly go out of his way to take any big tests when he was fighting his voluntary defenses in the past three years. He’s opted to take the safe route every time, and as such, Bute’s record reflects that.

Both of the Dirrell brothers see weakness in Bute and that’s why they both want to take on that guy and knock him off the top of the IBF hill. Andre will likely get his shot before Anthony Dirrell, as Anthony is rumored to be facing WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward next year for his titles.

That leaves Andre Dirrell as the one that goes after Bute or the winner of the Bute vs. Carl Froch fight. In the best of worlds, Froch beats Bute and Dirrell comes on and takes on Froch in a revenge match-up. That would be a huge fight, because Froch beat Dirrell by a controversial 12 round decision two years ago in Froch’s home city of Nottingham, England.



Comments are closed.