Andre Dirrell boxing news
James is hoping to make history by coming the first boxer from Great Britain to win Olympic Gold and a professional world title.
The fight is taking place in Boston due to Roc Nation winning the purse bid. DeGale had hoped to have the fight in his home town of London at the O2 arena in what would have clearly been a bigger event than the fight being held stateside.
By Scott Gilfoid: For boxing fans dying to know when the James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) vs. Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) will be taking place, it looks like the fight will be taking place in May, according to DeGale’s promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport.
Hearn says the DeGale-Dirrell fight will be taking place in mid to late May on the East Coast of the United States. Hearn says he’ll know in the next 24 hours when and where the fight will be taking place.
By Scott Gilfoid: Former world title challenger Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs), who feels he was cheated in his previous title shot against Carl Froch in their fight in 2009, is glad he’s facing Britain’s #1 IBF James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) for the vacant IBF super middleweight title at a still to be determined date in the near future.
Dirrell didn’t want a pushover opponent in fighting for such an important fight, and he’s glad he’ll be fighting a Gold medalist in the 6’0 ½” DeGale. Dirrell thinks it’ll be an interesting fight for as long as it lasts.
By Scott Gilfoid: A date still hasn’t been decided yet for the James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) vs. Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs). The two fighters will be battling it out for the vacant IBF super middleweight title at some point in the near future. It’s possible that the fight could take place in May sometime, and DeGale is hoping that the fight will be place on the May 2nd undercard fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If the DeGale-Dirrell fight winds up that card it’ll give both Dirrell and DeGale a great opportunity to get a ton of exposure.
By Scott Gilfoid: #2 IBF Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) is ready to take the vacant IBF super middleweight title next month against #1 IBF James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) in their fight on NBC’s Premier Boxing Champions league. Dirrell sees a win over the 29-year-old DeGale as a forgone conclusion.
Once he gets DeGale out of the way, Dirrell wants to face former IBF champion Carl Froch in his first defense. Dirrell has a loss to Froch in 2009, but Dirrell doesn’t mind giving Froch a rematch because he’s confident that he’ll beat him.
By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn came up short in a purse bid this week in losing out to Warriors Boxing for the James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) vs. Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) fight. By Hearn losing the purse bid, it means that his fighter DeGale, 29, will need to travel to the United States next month to fight the fast and powerful Dirrell on his own home soil.
The fight is being pegged for April 24th, possibly in Chicago in Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions league.
By Scott Gilfoid: 2008 Olympic gold medalist James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) will have to travel to the United States to face #2 IBF Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant IBF super middleweight title next month at a date a venue still to be determined.
April 24th is one of the dates that is being kicked around, and the city could be Chicago, Illinois. That’s not exactly hometown advantage for Dirrell, who comes from Flint, Michigan, but I’m sure he’ll take it.
By Scott Gilfoid: Earlier Tuesday, Warrior Boxing won the purse bid for the James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) – Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) to stage the fight. The news means that the DeGale-Dirrell fight will be staged in the United States, as Warrior is said to be affiliated with Dirrell’s adviser Al Haymon.
This is a huge blow to DeGale and his promoter Eddie Hearn, who were both hoping to win the purse bid in order to stage the fight in England. That isn’t going to happen now.