(Photo credit: Goossen Tutor Promotions) By Scott Gilfoid: Andre Dirrell (22-1, 15 KOs) put the super middleweight division on notice last night in taking apart a guy with a nearly unbreakable chin in Vladine Biosse (15-5-2, 7 KOs) in getting a 5th round TKO at the Little Creek Casino Resort, in Shelton, Washington, USA.
Dirrell’s hand speed was the same as it was when he was at his best in the Super Six tournament four years ago when he arguably went 2-0 in his two fights, although he did lose a fight to Carl Froch that pretty much the entire world saw Dirrell winning.
Dirrell said he wants to work his way to a title shot against IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch, but that’s not a realistic option. Froch has made a small fortune in his recent fights against George Groves and Mikkel Kessler, and he’s pretty much at the end stage of his career. Froch is going to fight once or twice more in cash out fights and then retire rather than taking on a guy like Dirrell, who could spoil it for him by sending him into retirement with a big fat loss.
“I’ve been out 18 months but for an 18-month layoff I thought I looked pretty damn good but I do want all of the big names out there,” Dirrell said. Nothing’s going to get in my way. I’m a Mack Truck rolling down 75 by way of Flint, Michigan and I’m crushing anybody who steps in front of them lights.”
You better believe that Dirrell is serious about what he says. The way he looked last night, I don’t think there’s anyone in the division that has the game that can stand up to him right now, including Andre Ward. Dirrell is too fast and too mobile for the top fighters at 168, and with his lightning fast reflexes, he’s impossible to hit. Dirrell can pot shot like a prime Floyd Mayweather Jr. In fact, that’s who Dirrell reminded me of last night in watching him against Biosse. Dirrell had the Mayweather hand speed, but he was more thrilling to watch because of his athleticism.
“It felt like new money, it felt like gold, it felt like fame and everything I wanted it to and I’m just proud I could come here on ESPN and put a great performance in,” Dirrell said.
Dirrell had Biosse in trouble in the 4th round when he hit him with 4 consecutive uppercuts while he had him against the ropes. All four of his uppercuts connected to the head of Biosse. In the 5th, Dirrell flurried on Biosse until the referee had little choice but to halt the fight because Biosse was just covering up and taking vicious head shots.
Dirrell is with adviser Al Haymon now, and he should be able to get the best fights for him so that he can make a move on one of the titles.
It’s going to take a little while before Dirrell gets ranked, but once he picks up 2-3 good wins, he should be back in the top 5 and ready to challenge for a title. Dirrell said that he wants to fight Froch next, but like I said, it’s not going to happen. Froch won’t take that fight because Dirrell arguably beat him in 2009 in Nottingham. If Dirrell becomes Froch’s mandatory challenger, he’ll likely get ignored by him. If the IBF or WBA tries to force Froch to defend the belt against Dirrell, then my guess is Froch will vacate immediately rather than facing him and risking getting beaten.
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