Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell needed a victory in his bout against “King” Arthur Abraham in order to remain a viable participant in the Super-6 World Boxing Classic.

The Flint, Michigan native Dirrell got the much needed win against the heavily favored Abraham in a controversial ending after Abraham was disqualified for landing an illegal blow that rendered Dirrell unable to continue. 

At the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan,  Andre Dirrell (18-1 with 13 KOs)  faced Armenia’s  “King” Arthur Abraham (31-0 with 25 KOs) in the second stage of the Super-6 World Boxing Classic.  The favored Abraham, now residing in Berlin, Germany,  was leading the round-robin styled tournament after his knockout victory over Jermain Taylor in the Classic’s opening stage, and was the clear favorite to win the tournament.   Dirrell was the hard luck loser by a close, split decision to Carl Froch in his opening match of the tournament in October 2009, so a victory was essential in order to have any chance of being the eventual winner in the Classic. 

The 26-year-old Dirrell, a Bronze Medal winner as a Middleweight in the 2004 Greece Olympics, used his 3-inch height and reached advantage and superior boxing skills to neutralize the hard punching Abraham, the former long reigning IBF Middleweight champion. 

To the delight of his hometown fans in the arena, it was evident that Dirrell’s speed, side-to-side movement and excellent combinations posed a serious threat to the former champion.  His accurate, non stop punches caused swelling around both of Abraham’s cheekbones early in the fight.    

Fighting in his usual counterpunching, “peek-a-boo” style with his gloves protecting his face, Abraham began pressing the attack in the fourth round in an attempt to shift the fight in his favor.  During an exchange late in the round, a straight left hand to the head by Dirrell sent Abraham sprawling to the canvas for the first time in his career.  Referee Laurence Cole administered the customary 8-count, and although Abraham did not seem badly hurt, it sent a clear message that Dirrell was a dangerous opponent. 

The middle rounds followed the same pattern, as the confident “Matrix” built a surprisingly clear advantage with his excellent boxing, fast hands and quick combinations.  A cut over Abraham’s right eye in the 7^th round further hampered his ability to regain control of the fight as the blood flowed non stop.  By the 9^th round the bleeding had worsened and the referee stopped the action in mid-round and summoned the ring physician to examine the cut.   The fight was allowed to continue. 

The fight appeared to turn slightly in Abraham’s favor in the 10^th round as he finally began landing effective punches on his opponent.   Half way through the round, a strong right hand to Dirrell’s head sent him to the canvas.  However, referee Laurence Cole ruled that Dirrell had tripped and did not rule it a knockdown, although a replay showed that the punch had indeed landed and it appeared to be a legitimate  knockdown.   By round’s end, Dirrell seemed hurt and very tired, having taken some hard combinations in the round from the now inspired “King” Arthur.  

With a desperate Abraham pressing the action at the start of the 11^th round,  Dirrell’s feet slipped near a corner of the ring and he landed on his knees.  With his opponent clearly down next to the ropes, Abraham unleashed a devastating right hand punch that caught the downed Dirrell squarely on the jaw.  In a delayed reaction,  Dirrell fell flat on his back and appeared to be in some distress. 

Realizing that Abraham had committed a foul by punching his opponent while he was down on his knees, the referee disqualified the former champion and declared Andre Dirrell the winner by disqualification at 1:13 of the round.   The ring doctors quickly came to aid the fallen Dirrell, who remained on the canvas for a few minutes before getting to his feet.

“I was looking at Dirrell’s face when I threw the punch, and not at his feet,”  said Abraham in the ring during the post fight interview.  “I did not know he was down.  I should not have been disqualified.” 

Andre Dirrell appeared incoherent and agitated while being interviewed, and did not seem to know he had been declared the winner.  He was quickly escorted back to his dressing room, and later taken to a local hospital to be examined as a precautionary measure.   

When the fight was stopped, Dirrell had a comfortable lead in the judges’ scores of 97-92, 98-91 and 97-92 and was clearly on his way to a surprising victory over the tough former middleweight champion, who suffered the first loss of his career. 

The win earned Dirrell 2-points in the Boxing Classic tournament, tying him with Carl Froch for second place in the standings behind the leader, Arthur Abraham.  Abraham leads the points standings with 3-points by virtue of his knockout victory over Jermain Taylor in his previously outing. 

The surprising victory over the undefeated and favored Abraham was the most impressive of Andre Dirrell’s career, as he awaits the 3^rd stage of the Super Middleweight Classic and an opportunity to prove that he belongs among the world’s best 168-pounders.