King Arthur meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel
King Arthur Abraham welcomed a special guest on Monday when German
Chancellor Angela Merkel stopped by to visit the renowned training
facilities in Kienbaum. Hundreds of world-class athletes, including
dozens of Olympic gold medal winners and world champions, use the sports
center each year to prepare for their events. Team Sauerland also stages
its training camps in Kienbaum, which is located 20 miles east of
Berlin. Ulli Wegner and his fighters will return on July 28, moving camp
from the Max-Schmeling-Gym to the sports center.
Merkel, who honoured Kienbaum with a special award, enjoyed meeting
Germany´s top athletes. King Arthur even had a special present for the
Chancellor. “I gave her a pair of mini gloves, which she promised to
keep in a very special place inside her office,” King Arthur said. “I
hope the gloves bring her luck – in politics, you sometimes have to box
your way through. It was a great honour to meet the Chancellor. We spoke
about a lot of interesting things.”
ARTHUR ABRAHAM vs. CARL FROCH SET FOR OCT. 2 IN MONACO
Pivotal Group Stage 3 Bout Lands On Neutral Ground
In Coastal Principality Boarding France
NEW YORK (July 15, 2010)–Following weeks of intense negotiations, SHOWTIME Sports® is proud to announce that Hennessy Sports and Sauerland Event—the promotional outlets for world-class super middleweight boxers Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham—have agreed to a location for their fighters’ crucial Super Six World Boxing Classic bout.
On Saturday, Oct. 2, in the capital city/state of Monaco, Abraham and Froch will meet at the Chapiteau de l’Espace Fontvieille for their pivotal Group Stage 3 match up in the boxing tournament that has ignited the industry. The bout will be televised on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT (same day delay).
Hennessy Sports and Sauerland Event are currently working with Principality officials in Monaco to finalize all the necessary authorizations for this event as they expect it to be one of the biggest fights in the history of the region. The Principality of Monaco is situated on the Mediterranean Sea in the south west area of Europe, some 1,400 km from Abraham’s home in Berlin and over 1,000 km from Froch’s native Nottingham, England.
“The intensity of the selection process for this venue speaks to the enormity of the moment created by the Super Six World Boxing Classic,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “All the fighters in the tournament have set out to prove that they are the world’s best at 168-pounds by fighting their peers—the most dangerous men in the division—fight after fight. Any perceived advantage or disadvantage has been calculated.
“To the credit of all involved, each hurdle has been cleared and the Super Six World Boxing Classic now marches on toward a thrilling conclusion.”
This bout is the last of the Super Six Group Stage matches. Following Abraham vs. Froch, the four fighters with the highest point totals on the Super Six scoreboard will advance to the semi-finals, tentatively slated for the first quarter 2011.
Froch (26-1, 20 KOs) is coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision loss, the first of his career, to Mikkel Kessler on April 24. That night, during the post-fight press conference, Wilfried, and his son Kalle Sauerland and Mick Hennessy began publicly disputing the venue selection for the Abraham vs. Froch contest. At the time, Abraham (31-1, 25 KOs) held the tournament lead with three points by virtue of his KO win over Jermain Taylor in Group Stage 1, but was out boxed and ultimately disqualified in his Group Stage 2 bout versus Andre Dirrell for the first loss of his career. Froch remains tied at the moment with Kessler and Dirrell at two points.
“I cannot wait to get back in the ring,” said Abraham. “I am thrilled that the date and the venue have been set. I must admit that the disqualification against Dirrell still haunts me. Only a victory over Froch can put my mind at rest. I was ringside when he fought against Kessler and I must say I was impressed with both men. They really fought their hearts out. Froch is a hell of a fighter, but so am I. This will be the biggest, the most important fight of my career, and I will put on a special performance to please the boxing fans in Monaco, France, Germany, England, America and all over the world.”
“I’m training hard already for ‘King’ Arthur,” said Froch from his training center in Sheffield. “I respect what the man brings to the table, but I’m going out there to knock Abraham’s crown right into Kalle’s lap,” he added in response to Sauerland’s bold predictions on the outcome of this fight.
“Make no mistake about it, I fully appreciate the threat that Abraham presents to me in this fight. Whenever two warriors go into battle there will be bloodshed. But there will be only one victor in Monaco and that will be The Cobra,” Froch concluded.
The Sauerlands are filled with anticipation. “The Super Six tournament has been outstanding thus far,” said Kalle. “We’ve had so much drama and so many high-class fights. Kessler versus Froch was as good as it gets but believe me, Abraham-Froch will be even better. It’s win or go home! I honestly can’t see this going the distance. I have a lot of respect for Froch as a fighter but I think that his style is tailor-made for Abraham. The King will knock The Cobra out – no doubt about that. The only question is in which round.”
Hennessy also expects a toe-to-toe war and believes the Englishman will come out victorious inside the distance “This is a mouth-watering match up against two of the best and toughest fighters in the game,” Hennessy said. “If you thought Carl’s last fight against Kessler was epic just wait for Froch vs. Abraham. This has all of the ingredients to be the fight of the decade.
“I have a lot of respect for Arthur in and outside of the ring, but unfortunately on the 2nd October he will come up against a highly driven and fully motivated Carl Froch. When Carl’s is in that sort of mode he will prove he is the best of the best and will secure three points for a knockout win, showing the world once again that he is a very special fighter.”
The Super Six World Boxing Classic continues on Saturday, Sept. 25, when SHOWTIME will present a world championship doubleheader to kick off Group Stage 3—the final Group Stage of the round-robin portion of the tournament. First, Kessler will look to lock up a semi-final berth with a win over Allan Green. Kessler is making the first defense of his second world title, the WBC 168-pound strap he wrested from Carl Froch. Green is desperate for a win to have a shot at the semi finals. He may need a knockout and/or help from his fellow competitors to earn one of the four spots.
Immediately following, live on SHOWTIME, Andre Ward will face 2004 U.S. Olympic teammate and friend Andre Dirrell in what promises to be a dramatic affair. Ward has already locked up his semi-final berth as the only contestant to win both of his initial Group Stage matches. But, make no mistake, Ward promises a fierce defense of his WBA world championship belt and undefeated professional record. Dirrell, on the other hand, needs a win to guarantee his place in the semis. Conceivably, Dirrell could get in with two points but he would need help from Green and/or Abraham.
SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD (Through Group Stage 2)
Record Fighter Points
2-0 Andre Ward 4
1-1 Arthur Abraham 3
1-1 Mikkel Kessler 2
1-1 Carl Froch 2
1-1 Andre Dirrell 2
0-1 Allan Green 0
ABOUT SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC
The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution which recently launched SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
All Eyes on Ward
By Mario Ortega Jr.
Thus far, the Super Six World Boxing Classic has lived up to both its hype and intentions. Every match-up has produced a solid, if not exciting, fight. Outside of a draw, just about every possible outcome of a professional bout has occurred once. Some controversy, some thrills and some upsets. Other than Arthur Abraham, who scored the only knockout in the tournament to this point, every fighter involved is still at risk of being eliminated after Group Stage 3. The idealistic concept has turned into a reality. However, surely the main purpose when this whole thing began was to create one, if not more than one, boxing megastar. If that goal does come to fruition, the Super Six could truly be deemed a success. After only five fights, if you were to pick one fighter that could turn that objective into reality, that one fighter would be Andre Ward, the pride of Oakland, California, who takes on Allan Green tonight on Showtime.
This writer came to choose Ward as the potential “breakout star” of the tournament for many reasons, some obvious and some not. Let us start with the obvious. Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KOs) is the sole remaining undefeated fighter left in the Super Six. While often times too much weight is placed on that “O,” it does seem to mean a lot to the casual fan and the casual fan is the one a breakthrough star needs to attract. The diehard fans can decipher an undefeated record that is built up and one that has been earned. Ward has earned his undefeated record, most especially by supplanting Mikkel Kessler as the WBA Super Middleweight Champion and the top gun at 168-pounds last November.
Ward’s rise to the super middleweight throne was the realization of promise, and the disproving of doubt and it is that road which enriches his back-story. As one would expect for any Olympic Gold Medalist, the highest of hopes were held for Ward when he turned professional in 2004. However, shortly after he entered the paid ranks with an HBO-televised win, whispers started circling Ward. After getting buzzed by Kenny Kost in his second pro bout, and hitting the canvas in his seventh against Darnell Boone, the pundits began questioning his chin. When injuries to his hands or his knees stalled his career, some wondered if he would ever be physically able to reach the upper levels of the sport.
Much like the skinny-legged, junior lightweight version of Oscar De La Hoya who hit the canvas in the early stages of his career only to prove to have a sturdy chin, Ward seemingly did the same when he moved up from middleweight to 168-pounds in 2007. And while injuries can creep up at anytime, the fact that Ward healed quickly enough from a recent setback with one of his knees to make this weekend’s fight against Allan Green is a good sign for his future. Nothing can endear a fighter more to his fans than the ability to overcome, and Ward has proven he can do that.
Ward has an opportunity to take another leap towards superstardom when he defends his WBA title against Allan Green before his rapidly growing fan base at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. Just as styles make fights, differing personalities can add an intriguing side story to a prizefight. Ward has been a breath of fresh air for a sport that too often showcases fighters as they turn up their braggadocio to the nth degree. A modest, deeply spiritual family man that likes to let his fists do his talking, Ward shies away from boasting about his accomplishments at nearly any cost. Allan Green in many ways is the anti-Ward, a cocky trash-talker if there ever was one. This contrast, which has been played up to some degree by the Fight Camp 360° documentary series on Showtime, adds a second layer to an already intriguing fight. Should Ward win, it could be perceived by some, unfairly perhaps, as a victory of good over evil.
The general sporting public is always a sucker for a good human interest story and over the years boxing has provided many. When a fighter allows light to be shed on an emotional personal story it can go a long way in connecting them with fight fans. In recent weeks, some in the media have pointed out that Ward will defending his title, for the first time, on Father’s Day weekend. Frank Ward, Andre’s father, a former amateur fighter himself, introduced his son to boxing before passing away suddenly in 2002.
Andre never saw his father fight, since home video cameras had not yet made their way into widespread use, but that did not stop Frank from inspiring his son to pick up the sport he loved. “Listening to my dad, he was the ultimate competitor, like I feel I am,” Ward told Comcast SportsNet Bay Area’s Greg Papa earlier this week. “And he did not like to lose. That being said, all I had to hear was some of my dad’s old war stories, and that was enough to introduce me and get me to want to start boxing. Just hearing his stories alone, and how passionate he was about preparing for fights and fighting in general, that was enough to make me want to become a boxer.”
Fighting on Father’s Day weekend does add additional motivation for Ward. “Father’s Day was [my dad’s] favorite holiday,” revealed Ward. “He never wanted me and my brother to buy him a card. He always wanted us to make him a card. Father’s Day was his day, so I am going to dedicate this fight to Nick Charles, the Showtime analyst battling cancer, but also to my father because Father’s Day was his day. Those are the type of things you use as a champion, and as a challenger, to drive you and push you to victory and I am going to use that Saturday night.”
Sports athletes are often propped up as heroes or role models, and more often than not they should not be. While no one should be held to the standard of being a role model for simply making their living in sport, Ward’s character allows you to feel comfortable tagging him in that way. It is for that reason more so than any other, that Ward has a chance to be the brightest star that emerges from the Super Six World Boxing Classic. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he can fight too.
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.
Wilfried Sauerland: No verbal agreement on Abraham-Froch venue
Wilfried Sauerland has rebuffed Mick Hennessy´s claims about a potential verbal agreement on the venue for the decisive Super Six World Boxing Classic showdown between King Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch.
Andre Dirrell vs. Arthur Abraham Replay TONIGHT at 10 p.m. ET/PT (SHO 2)
FIGHT CAMP 360° Episode 5 Premieres April 7
NEW YORK (March 29, 2010) — Four fights into the Super Six World Boxing Classic on SHOWTIME®, there has been a little bit of everything—except a unanimous decision.
In fact, so far there have been a pair of major upsets and no two results have been the same.
There has been a knockout (Arthur Abraham over Jermain Taylor), a split decision (Carl Froch over Andre Dirrell), a technical decision (Andre Ward over Mikkel Kessler) and a disqualification (Dirrell over Abraham) in a fight on Saturday that will replay TONIGHT/Monday on SHOWTIME 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
One constant through all three Group Stage 1 bouts and the first of three Group Stage 2 encounters: Hometown fighters have been victorious each time (Froch, Abraham, Ward and Dirrell).
If Abraham had triumphed on Saturday, he would have clinched a spot in the tournament semi-finals. As it stands, all the fighters remain in serious contention to win the tournament and the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
Programming Note: Episode 5 of the critically acclaimed FIGHT CAMP 360°: Inside The Super Six World Boxing Classic will premiere Saturday, April 7, on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The 30-minute episode will take viewers behind the scenes at the Dirrell-Abraham fight – from fight week tensions between promoters and camps through Saturday’s hotly contested bout. It will include footage and interviews with Dirrell at the hospital and Abraham after the fight, reaction from the boxers’ promoters, a discussion of the fight itself and a look ahead to the next match featuring Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler for the WBC World Championship, Saturday, April 24.
SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD
Record Fighter Points
1-1 Arthur Abraham 3
1-1 Andre Dirrell 2
1-0 Carl Froch 2
1-0 Andre Ward 2
0-1 Mikkel Kessler 0
0-0 Allan Green 0
For information on all SHOWTIME Sports telecasts, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries from its events and complete information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit the website at http://www.sports.sho.com
ABOUT SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC
The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Serious as can be
By Bart Barry
Keep Andre Dirrell in your prayers. What happened to him Saturday is graver than a disqualification victory. It’s about Dirrell being struck with a right uppercut on the chin and then reaching for a spot over his left eye. It’s not about a breach of sportsmanship by Arthur Abraham. It’s about Dirrell needing ice eight inches from where Abraham hit him.
It’s about Dirrell’s incoherence after the fight. It’s about his crying, “I’m hurt, man!” It’s about the way he winced and scrunched the left side of his face. It’s about an ambulance ride to the hospital for a CT scan – apparently negative, thankfully.
What a terrible way to get two points in Showtime’s Super Six World Boxing Classic.
Saturday in Detroit, American Andre Dirrell got those two points when Armenian Arthur Abraham got disqualified for an intentional foul at 1:13 of round 11. Behind by prohibitive margins on all scorecards, Abraham landed a perfect right uppercut with Dirrell on the seat of his trunks after he slipped on a Cemex Tolteca ad on the canvas.
Abraham still leads the tournament with the three points he won in October. That’s the best that can be said after his second trip to the United States from Germany, where he resides. The rest comprises the derogatory things now being thought about him in America, a country that’s still pretty important to the prizefighting world.
In some sense both men were victims of Abraham’s concussive power Saturday. Had Abraham missed with his right hand he might have stopped Dirrell in the five minutes that remained. Dirrell was fading. Had Abraham caught Dirrell with a glancing, or anyhow less-effective, punch he would have lost a point that didn’t matter anyway – à la Marco Antonio Barrera against Juan Manuel Marquez. Instead he knocked Dirrell senseless and left referee Laurence Cole no choice but to disqualify him. His record is now blemished in more than one way.
That’s nothing compared to what Abraham’s right hand may have done to Dirrell, who was on the precipice of a career-defining victory.
Gone were so many of the bad habits that had ruined Dirrell’s last fight with Carl Froch. In Saturday’s first six rounds Dirrell damn near threw a shutout against an undefeated former world champion. He threw leveraged, scientific punches, looped correctly round Abraham’s customarily high guard. He slipped punches like he wanted to counter them, not just impress his boys back home. He did almost everything the professional way.
Almost everything. There was one glaringly amateurish trait that survived Dirrell’s training camp. It happened five or six times. It was his move to the right. It was all wrong. Hands at his waist, feet crossed, chin pointed skyward, Dirrell leaped away from Abraham’s left hook. It made Abraham look ridiculous and slow. But to learned eyes, it made Dirrell look ridiculous, too.
Guess what Dirrell was doing when he slipped in the first minute of the 11th round. Dropped in the 10th from a right cross, Dirrell began the 11th wisely intending to play Keep Away. But he unwisely switched from Andre Dirrell to “The Matrix” – the kid with too much athleticism for his own good – and began to bounce back and forth, hands low. He Matrixed rightward. His right foot landed on the ‘x’ in Cemex – the sticker wet and frictionless – and his legs splayed.
That has to be the last thing Dirrell remembers from Saturday.
His hands on the canvas, Dirrell looked at Abraham’s onrushing right fist. The punch landed on the left side of his chin. Dirrell appeared disappointed, betrayed. Then the left side of his face contorted. Dirrell closed his left eye and brought his left glove to his forehead. He did not rub where he’d been struck. Rather he rubbed the place his jarred brain would have struck its protective shell. He rolled on his back. His legs began to shake involuntarily. It was ugly and frightening.
Abraham stood to the side, believing Dirrell was being theatrical – a belief he confirmed afterwards – and disbelieving he was about to lose by disqualification. What Abraham did was intentional. He deserved the result he got. But what Abraham did was not premeditated. That must be remembered.
Imagine you are Arthur Abraham. Like any man in the 31st minute of a championship prizefight, you’re more than a little buzzed from your opponent’s punches. You are desperate to sink your knuckles in the other man’s flesh. He has hit you repeatedly. He has taunted you. He has also been to the canvas minutes before. He is weakened and slowing. You have to render him unconscious or you lose.
For a half hour, he has evaded you with unorthodox moves. He drops his hands, changes levels and swoops away. You have cornered him. He struck the top of your chest with a jab after his head dropped oddly away. Now his hands are down. He is absolutely defenseless. That is a green light for you, not a red one. You throw the right hand you have cocked. You finish the defenseless man because that’s your job.
Moral judgments on Abraham need not apply here. Within the relative world of prizefighting, Abraham broke the rules and received a proper punishment. Had Dirrell been just as defenseless while standing, though – out on his feet, hands down – we’d be applauding Abraham as a great finisher for throwing that right hand.
None of this relativity helps Dirrell – a fighter about whom many things became more serious Saturday in Joe Louis Arena. If he is able to return to previous form, if subsequent tests come back negative, that is, expect the last vestiges of “The Matrix” to go away. Expect a far less playful guy in the ring. Expect a man who uses his athleticism to hurt other men. Expect some resentment at the end of those punches.
Expect that everything about Andre Dirrell just got a lot more serious.
Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter.com/bartbarry
SAUERLAND SPEWS SAUER GRAPES ON DIRRELL’S SENSATIONAL VICTORY OVER ABRAHAM
SHOWTIME® 2 to Replay Dirrell vs. Abraham Battle
Tomorrow! Monday, March 29 at 10 P.M. ET/PT
DETROIT (March 28, 2010) – Not satisfied with Arthur Abraham’s underhanded performance against Andre Dirrell on Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena, which would warrant his suspension by most members of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), Abraham’s promoter Wilfried Sauerland issued a release on Sunday accusing Dirrell of seizing “…his chance to sneak out of the fight when the chance presented itself…Dirrell is a very good actor.”
The “chance” Sauerland was referring to was when Dirrell (19-1, 13 KOs), of Flint, Mich., did the “splits” after slipping in Abraham’s (31-1, 25 KOs), of Germany, water-soaked corner, and while on one knee and defenseless got knocked out by a sweeping Abraham right. Referee Laurence Cole immediately stopped the fight at 1:13 of the 11th round, awarding the victory, via disqualification, to Dirrell, who was leading on all three judges’ scorecards by 98-91, 97-92 and 97-92. It was the opening bout of the Group Stage 2 of the Super Six World Boxing Classic
“Sauerland is a sourpuss. Is he Abraham’s promoter or minister of propaganda?” asked Gary Shaw, Dirrell’s promoter. “Maybe Abraham is used to having his partners fake it, but thanks to SHOWTIME, the world witnessed not just Abraham’s heinous act, but a multitude of replays from every angle showing that Abraham was looking at Andre while he was down on the canvas before deliberately unleashing his illegal blow. As far as I’m concerned, Abraham is a coward and his promoter is an enabler. It was a desperate act by a desperate man.”
Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and Sauerland Event, the Dirrell vs. Abraham battle will be replayed Tomorrow! Monday, March 29, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME 2.
“But rather than dwell on a pack of lies, let’s focus on Andre’s magnificent performance,” Shaw continued. “He tagged Abraham with his first knockdown and his first loss in a 31-bout professional career. Both are huge accomplishments. Plain and simple, Andre boxed Abraham’s ears off. He was faster, stronger and smarter. Andre painted a masterpiece on a 20-by-20 canvas. It was his Mona Lisa.
“Andre went straight to the hospital after the fight where he gave his post-fight urine test to the Commission and spent three hours getting examined before being released early this morning. I’m very proud of Andre Dirrell. When his back was against the wall he fired back and against the leader of the Super Six World Boxing Classic.”
“I want to thank all my fans for their support and I especially want to thank everyone in Flint, Detroit and the surrounding areas as well as the entire Midwest for coming out on Saturday night,” said Dirrell. “I’m excited to have the chance to rest and relax with my family at home in Flint.”
Attached, please find the release sent by Sauerland Event.
****************************************
Group Stage 2 bouts in the Super Six World Boxing Classic resume on Saturday, April 24, and Saturday, June 19, on SHOWTIME.
Undefeated Carl “The Cobra’’ Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) of Nottingham, England, will defend his WBC 168-pound title against former WBA 168-pound champion Mikkel “Viking Warrior’’ Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) of Denmark on SHOWTIME (9 p.m., ET/PT, same-day delay) from MCH Arena, in Herning, Denmark, on April 24 while undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) 168-pound champion Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland, Calif., will make his first title defense against world-ranked contender “Sweetness” Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs), of Tulsa, Okla., on June 19 on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Oracle Arena in Oakland.
SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC SCOREBOARD
Record Fighter Points
1-1 Arthur Abraham 3
1-1 Andre Dirrell 2
1-0 Carl Froch 2
1-0 Andre Ward 2
0-1 Mikkel Kessler 0
0-0 Allan Green 0
For information on all SHOWTIME Sports telecasts, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries from its events and complete information on the Super Six World Boxing Classic, please visit the website at http://www.sports.sho.com
ABOUT SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC
The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
ANDRE WARD AND ALLAN GREEN START TAKING THEIR SHOTS SATURDAY BEFORE DIRREL-ABRAHAM FIGHT
DETROIT (March 28, 2010) –- Two days after it was announced that undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) 168-pound champion Andre Ward (20-0, 13 KOs) would defend against world-ranked “Sweetness” Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs) in a Group Stage 2 bout in the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Saturday, June 19, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), the boxers spoke with the media before the Andre Dirrell-Arthur Abraham tournament bout here Saturday night.
Here’s what they had to say:
ANDRE WARD (who’ll be making his first defense of the WBA 168-pound title)
“It’s time for all the bravado and all his talk to end. It’s time to show up and take care of business. I feel great and I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’m ready to rock. I’m human and I hear what he is saying. But all he is doing is adding gasoline to the fire. I’m always highly motivated anyway, but now I’m highly stimulated, too.
“In terms of all his talk, whatever he’s been saying to the media, none of it bothers me. It certainly doesn’t rattle me. I’ve been accustomed to it, first at the highest levels of the amateurs and now as a pro.
“There’s a reason behind what he does and says and a lot of it has to do with fear and insecurity. Like he is trying to convince himself what he can do.
“I’m sure it will help ticket sales. The fans are going to be like, ‘Who is this guy and what’s he all about?’ But when you talk, you’ve got to back it up. Believe me, we are going to get to know each other really well in the ring on June 19. I can’t wait.
“The victory over Kessler confirmed to me that I belong and it brought me closer to being the best in the division, the No. 1 fighter at 168 pounds.”
ALLAN GREEN (who is ranked No. 3 in WBO, No. 4 in WBC, No. 5 in IBF, No. 7 in WBA).
“I am truly excited about June 19 and feel that justice has been served because I felt I deserved to be in this tournament from the beginning and am ready to take advantage of the opportunity. I can’t say if this will be my toughest fight but it definitely will be the biggest event I’ve been part of.
“For Ward to say what I say is out of fear or whatever is unfair. I can’t believe he’d say that. It’s unfair for anybody who doesn’t know another person to say things like that. I speak what I feel. But it’s OK.
“We have contrasting styles in the ring so I am not sure what kind of fight this will be or how it will play out. Ward is a smart, crafty boxer and he’s a good guy, but I can box, or punch or make it a dogfight if I have to.
“I’m actually glad the fight is in Oakland. It didn’t have to be, you know. But a ring is a ring, and no matter what the city, it isn’t going to change the outcome. So I don’t mind going there and fighting him in his backyard. I am ready to rise to the occasion. I will rise to the occasion.
“Growing up, before you start thinking about making money or providing for your family, you dream of winning a world title. That is every boxer’s main goal at the beginning.
“This is going to be a great fight. I am very confident.’’
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The inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic is a ground-breaking, six-fighter tournament from SHOWTIME Sports® featuring the class of the super middleweight (168-pound) division from around the world. All bouts in the Super Six tournament will be contested under the Unified Rules of Boxing. Each boxer fights three bouts against different opponents in the field in the points-based Group Stage of competition (Win – 2 pts with a 1-pt bonus for KO/TKO; Loss – 0 pts; Draw – 1 pt.). After the Group Stage, the four fighters with the highest point totals will advance to the single-elimination Semi-Finals. The winners of the Semi-Final bouts will advance to the Finals and fight for the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
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Dirrell defeats Abraham by bizzare disqualification
By Marc Abrams
Andre Dirrell fought the most polished fight of his career and and even had the most satisfying result but he deserved to win with the flare that he demonstrated over the balance of his eleven beat down of Arthur Abraham as Dirrell was awarded the victory via disqualification as Abraham knocked Dirrell out cold while Dirrell was on the ground during the eleventh round of their Super Middleweight clash at The Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
Dirrell was brilliant throughout as he befuddled Abraham with quick combinations to the body and head. Dirrell kept up the boxing skills that Abraham had no answer for as the German contined to come in with his hands up eating punches. In round four, Dirrell landed a left off the ropes that sent the former IBF Middleweight champion to the canvas for the first time in his career. Abraham shook it off and sporadically would get through with one shot at a time.
Every time it seemed that Abraham was changing momentum, Dirrell would use his athleticism to land some solid combionations on Abraham. In round seven, a nasty cut opened over the right eye brow of Abraham which seemed to spur the visitor on.
In round ten, Abraham landed a big right that sent Dirrell to the canvas for which referee Laurence Cole ruled that it was a slip as the fighters’ feet were close but replays showed that it should have been ruled a knockdown. That was a foreshadow of the craziness to come.
In round eleven, Abraham landed a big right that was combined with Dirrell slipping on the ring and Dirrell went to his knee. While Dirrell was prone on the ground, Abraham wound him and drilled Dirrell with a vicious right that knocked Dirrell out with Dirrell’s legs beginning to tremble and Cole waved the fight off immediately at 1:13 of round eleven.
After order was restored in the ring, Dirrell believed he was knocked out and therefore he left the ring and to the hospital while Abraham thought Dirrell was acting.
Dirrell of Flint, Michigan is now 19-1. Abraham of Berlin is now 31-1.
FOLLOW ABRAHAM – DIRRELL ROUND BY ROUND LIVE
Follow all the action from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit as Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KO’s) and Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13 KO’s) open up the 2nd round of the Super Middleweight World Boxing Classic. The actions kicks off at 10:30pm eastern/7:30 Pacific and 3:30 am in Berlin
Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13 KO’s) vs Arthur Abraham (31-0, 25 KO’s)–12 Rounds Super Middleweights
Round 1: Dirrell lands a right hook..Little redness around the left eye of Abraham..Right from Dirrell pushes Abraham back…10-9 Dirrell
Round 2: Dirrell 1-2 combinations…body..Long right drives Abraham back..jab..Abrahamm lands a right..and left..Dirrell returns with a combination…20-18 Dirrell
Round 3: Dirrell lands a left..Abraham lands a strong jab…strong jab..Big right..2 more rights and left uppercut..2928 Dirrell
Round 4: Dirrel lands a combination..right lands forAbraham BUT DIRRELL LANDS A BIG LEFT THAT DROPS ABRAHAM FOR THE 1ST TIME IN HIS CAREER…39-36 Dirrell
Round 5: Big right from Abraham back comes Dirrell…49-45 Dirrell 153 of 561 punches landed for Dirrell…47-125 for Abraham
Round 6: Low blow landed by Dirrell…Dirrell landing combinations in center of ring…great left..59-54 Dirrell
Round 7: Blood from right eye of Abraham…Hook/right hand from Dirrell…big left hook drives Abraham between the ropes…69-63 Dirrell…166 – 34 Power punch advantage for Dirrell
Round 8: Abraham lands a nice flurry in the corner…Big right from Dirrell…78-73 Dirrell
Round 9: Dirrell lands a nice combo to the body and a left hook…strong right..Abraham lands a jab…Dirrell lads a hard straight left counter…The doctor coming in to look at Abraham’s cut…Dirrell lands a body shot that has Abraham complaining about a low blow…Abraham lands a straight right/left hook…88-82 Dirrell
Round 10: Dirrell lands a straight left that pushes Abraham back……big Counter right that drops Dirrell but referee Laurence Cole rules a slip..Big right…body..straight right…97-92 Dirrell
Round 11: Abraham complains about a body shot (he thinks is low)……DIRRELL SLIPS….ABRAHAM HITS HIM AND DIRRELL IS KNOCKED OUT COLD….ABRAHAM IS DISQUALIFIED
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