The Future of Andre Dirrell

Dirrell is fighting Derek Edwards next, on 19th December in IBF eliminator.

Looks like Dirrell is on the IBF path and has set his eyes on the possible Froch rematch, but I don't see that happening due to several reasons.

1) Froch is not interested in defending his IBF title against current mandatory DeGale, and would likely rather vacate the belt
2) Froch has no interest in rematching Ward, let alone Dirrell.
3) Even if we exclude the first 2 things, Froch will probably retire by the time Dirrell could get to enforce the eventual mandatory position.

What's more likely is that Dirrell and DeGale cross paths and fight for the IBF title soon (likely 2015). If Dirrell wins this eliminator, and Froch vacates IBF rather than faces DeGale early next year, Dirrell vs DeGale for the IBF belt is probably going to happen.

 

Since Dirrell defeated Edwards, he is now rated #2 by the IBF, only behind James DeGale, who is the mandatory challenger for Froch's title.

Considering the recent and ongoing situation about Carl Froch, it is likely that he will not fight DeGale next. He is negotiating a fight against Chavez Jr, which will result Froch getting stripped or vacating the IBF belt.

That situation (which is very possible to happen) would result DeGale facing Andre Dirrell for the vacant IBF title.

However, things may get a little complicated, since Eddie Hearn is not very keen on having to put DeGale against Dirrell for the vacant title, so there is a possibility that they try to make DeGale vs Groves II for the IBF belt, while Dirrell would take a step aside and eventually fight the winner.

It looks like Groves has set his sight on the WBC belt (where he has the mandatory status) and a fight against Anthony Dirrell, so we will see if we will agree to Hearn's plans or not. Even if he agrees, there is still a possibility that Andre Dirrell refuses to step aside and forces the fight with DeGale.

Looks like a complicated situation, we'll see what happens next. If someone has some other info or news regarding the topic, feel free to share.

 

One of the worst phrases while trying to put down someone is mentioning the chin.

 

Well, he was more than just touched. Another thing is that he didn't lose his head, but managed to make Edwards unable to capitalize on that punch (unlike someone like Bute for example, who is hardly able to keep his head clean in those situations).

I am not saying that Dirrell has an iron chin, but obviously one good punch is not enough to put him down, which is good enough for a boxer with his style.

You also said that he doesn't have the chin to make it, which is actually the statement I was referring to. Using the same logic, you could say that Andre Ward doesn't have the chin to make it. You see, using phrases like that doesn't have much to do with the objectivity.

The guy obviously has the skills to compete and possibly defeat the best in the world. If the "suspect" chin (which still doesn't qualify as certified weak punch resistance) is everything you can come up with, then you don't have much of a case.

Not sure what do you mean by "to make it", but here are the top guys in the division:

* Andre Ward
* Carl Froch
* Arthur Abraham
* Anthony Dirrell
* Robert Stieglitz
* James DeGale
* George Groves
* Andre Dirrell

He surely does have the chin (and probably skills as well) to compete with Andre Ward. We've already seen him against Froch and Abraham (a case could be made for him using the first opportunity for an easy way out against Abraham, but it's not like Abraham cracked his chin or anything like that). Anthony is out of the question since they are brothers, and that pretty much leaves us Stieglitz, DeGale and Groves (who quite possibly won't be considered "top" if he loses his next fight, in which he will be an underdog as well).

Let's see Andre Dirrell vs. James DeGale first (if Hearn doesn't maneuver his boxer out of the fight) and then we'll judge who is standing on which level. If Dirrell manages to win a world title, then I guess that we can agree that he "made it".