If Dirrell performs as well as he did against Abraham, he's beating Ward...

The hardest thing to do in boxing is counter when being flurried by a big puncher while not being caught. That is special are rarely done and as I said, Very few could do it through out history. That goes beyond the textbooks like greats did. It's easy to see he can do the basic textbook things. His countering during a big punchers flurry is of the higher levels of skill.

 

How did your math add that up.

 

The point is that all you could say about the fight was the ending. That says enough about you. Doesn't matter what I said afterwards. You came out and spouted off hate towards dirrell as if he didn't do what nobody has done to AA. Overrated what he was doing to AA as well.

That's why I posted what I did. :deal

 

That's the worse: he really thinks that!

 

I never said that. I simply said that he doesn't, and arguably will never, exhibit the "highest echelon of boxing skill". I actually like Dirrell quite a bit, especially against abraham and I think he has a good chance against Ward. More than people think, anyway.

How is counterpunching under pressure the "hardest thing to do"? There are plenty of facets in the boxing game and countering is only one skillset. Is andre dirrell's counterpunching(while is still not even truly great counterpunching) somehow more impressive than someone like Henry Armstrong or Duran swarming all over an opponent, slipping punches perfectly and applying ferocious pressure? Let me tell you, Henry's game is harder than Dirrell's is..... Counterpunching a pressure fighter with good power is not "beyond" the textbooks, that is just absurd. Abraham wasn't flurrying either, he is a very slow move and set boxer puncher. he does not have exceptional handspeed.

 

Will Ward have the same gameplan than against Green and how Dirrell can neutralize it?

 

I hope Dirrell destroys Ward. But you Ward is so different to AA, you can't really use that fight and apply it to Ward.

 

I agree with most of your post, except that I think some of the things Dirrell did WAS very skilled. His ability to counter in the middle of an AA combination is high skill for me. His speed is also of the highest order, but then again I think that'd be better off classified as talent...

I've rewatched rounds 9, 10, 11 of the fight. Dirrell faded very quickly. Considering how late AA started, that's not very good even though his power is excellent and takes a toll quickly. Granted, Dirrell had to work all the time (AA shells up when you punch him most of the time) to keep him off-rhytm but - Ward has a stamina on a different level than AA. He will have to hope that Dirrell's straighter punches in combination with Ward's lesser chin (than AA) and jumping in will make it an outside fight. Even then I'm not sure he takes it. If he cannot Ward will take over completely at the end due to Dirrell's stamina.

Dirrell has his hands low. AA found him with clean lead rights about seven or eight times in rounds 9-10 and Dirrell was in slight trouble which you also could tell from the crowd. Ward is adept with the lead right. Dirrell's chance is to slow the pace down, make it an outside fight, punish Ward when he closes the distance OR use his footwork to get out of the way.

Can he do this? His power is underrated so I think he may stun/even hurt Ward at some point. He will have an outside chess match, when Ward studies him, in the opening rounds. After that, the litmus test comes when Ward turns the heat up. My guess is his footwork isn't good enough to get away. His feet are quick but not too refined. Froch and AA found him at some times; imagine what Ward's range-closing footwork will do! Dirrell mustn't get stuck too long on the ropes and I wonder how his lack of an inside game will serve him against one of the best inside fighters in the game. The mental issue is there too. Will he rise or fall against his mentally stronger close friend who knows his style?

Ward biggest flaw is that he usually does the same combination when jumping in. I rewatched his fight vs Kessler and he likes to lead with his right hand from an orthodox stance whilst putting his right foot in front. Then he follows up with a left hook from the southpaw stance he created while this time putting the left foot forward. This worked like a charm vs the stiff, faded Kessler who just pulled straight back all the time, unable to counter. I couldn't help but think Ward was vulnerable in this sequence and Dirrell has the tools to make him pay. If he doesn't, Ward will be able to lunge in, find the backing straight-up Dirrell, grab him, maul and sap Dirrell's energy. Rinse and repeat.

Ward UD, 8-4 in a technical fight.

 

This fight is going down like Mayweather-Judah, with Ward being Mayweather.

 

Not a bad shout.

 

Good work, Swarmer.

 

Counter punching in the midst of power punchers flurry while not being touched is rarely done and not really a skill set. Counter punching yes but how many do you see counter after the opponent has started his flurry? Plenty of facets to boxing and dirrell can do pretty much all of them. I said countering (during a flurry) because it's special and rarely done. All these great fighters but hardly anyone of em do it or are capable of doing it (without getting touched).

Being a good counter puncher is a skillset but what good counter punchers land good counters during the other fighters flurries and get out of them without being hit at all?

You threw alot of grey area out there to make countering a power punchers flurry without getting hit seem the norm. I haven't seen anyone in the SMW divison do it to the affect that Dirrell did it. Every other SMW would have took some damage countering in the positions dirrell did. You should look at that fight or atleast the highlights again. Some real special **** was shown in that fight. In the flurries when dirrell caught AA, AA was thinkin dirrell was in full defense mode when he would release and end up getting caught.