Boxing: Dirrell Out Of Super 6 Tourney....

[P03t]

Andre Dirrell has pulled out of the Super Six World Boxing Classic -- and his fight against Andre Ward on Nov. 27 -- because of an injury, Showtime has announced.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Dirrell was advised not to fight or train because of neurological concerns. Dirrell took a hard blow to the head from Arthur Abraham while he was on the canvas in his last fight, leading to Abraham's disqualification. It's not clear whether that was the cause of his injury.

Dirrell is the third of the original six participants to pull out of the competition, following Jermain Taylor and Mikkel Kessler.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed with this development,” Hershman said. “We still believe in the Super Six, we think it’s a fantastic concept. It’s very, very challenging, obviously, to get through that many fights at that level of competition over this course of time. We will still have the semi-finals next year with at least three of the original participants.

"We’re excited for these upcoming fights in November and hope that you’ll all tune in.”

Allan Green took Taylor's spot and Glen Johnson replaced Kessler but Showtime is again short one 168-pounder as the tournament heads into its Group Stage 3, the final stage of the opening round.

Ken Hershman of Showtime said he has several options to replace Dirrell. The network also could decide to go with only five fighters. Hershman said he could make an announcement as soon as Friday.

Ward will still fight on Nov. 27, probably in his hometown of Oakland, Calif. That fight could be outside the Super Six because Ward already has advanced to the semis, which would allow Showtime to go with five fighters.

Abraham and Froch, the other remaining original participants, will go through with their scheduled fight on Nov. 27 in Helsinki, Finland. They both are guaranteed to move into the semis if Showtime goes with five fighters.

Johnson and Green fight on Nov. 6 in Las Vegas. The winner of that fight probably will be the fourth semifinalist.


http://www.ringtv.com/blog/2402/dirrell_out_of_super_six_tournament/

 

[merce77]

Funny, I've been hearing from insiders that he just refuses to fight Ward who is his good friend. My sources are usually not wrong. They told me weeks in advance that Chale Sonnen had used steroids against Anderson Silva and then homeboy tested positive. Still I hope Dirrel is ok, head injuries are no joke. Wasn't that fight with Abraham a while ago though? They just now are announcing that he can't fight, this makes no sense.

 

[P03t]

Funny, I've been hearing from insiders that he just refuses to fight Ward who is his good friend. My sources are usually not wrong. They told me weeks in advance that Chale Sonnen had used steroids against Anderson Silva and then homeboy tested positive. Still I hope Dirrel is ok, head injuries are no joke. Wasn't that fight with Abraham a while ago though? They just now are announcing that he can't fight, this makes no sense.

I love the Super 6 but this round Robin format will not work....

they should have just used an elimination format...

if Dirrell was so against fighting Ward why join the tournament?

eventually or just maybe you would have to fight Ward....

I heard Showtime has a bantamweight tourney about to start up....hopefully it won't be a round robin type format....

 

[bunn]

If that tourney want to have any Crediblity the best 168 pound fighter should be fighting in it!

 

[TJervey]

This tournament should no longer be termed the super 6. Definitely a great concept, but.... Allan Green?!?!?! A light heavyweight in Glen Johnson!?!?! Soon it's gonna be Bika and Chavez Jr for the final or some shit!!!! Damn shame, even though to a point I believe Dirrell is bullshitting about this... oh well... it is what it is.... a Joke at this point...

 

[merce77]

This tournament should no longer be termed the super 6. Definitely a great concept, but.... Allan Green?!?!?! A light heavyweight in Glen Johnson!?!?! Soon it's gonna be Bika and Chavez Jr for the final or some shit!!!! Damn shame, even though to a point I believe Dirrell is bullshitting about this... oh well... it is what it is.... a Joke at this point...

That'd be fucked up!!

Imo, too much time between fights, possibly too many fighters, the bantamweight tourney will have 4. Four months in between fights is enough. Then Froch and Abraham squabbling about where the fights are gonna be held, it's bullshit, either you fight or you're dq'ed from the tourney. No hometown bullshit, hold the fights in neutral territory. These euros always wanna fight at home to get the benefit of hometown decisions. The U.S. fighters fights should be held in Vegas unless said fighters are from there. Kessler, Ward, Dirrel, Abraham, Froch...and I have to agree with bunn's comment, Bute should have been part of this from the jump, dude is the truth. I understand they were trying to do some 3 on 3, Europe vs USA type shit but how about having the best, most exciting fighters only in the tournament. Jermain Taylor should never have been in this tourney imo. As far as Dirrel, I'd been reading and hearing from people for a while now that this fight with Ward kept getting pushed back because of their reluctance to fight each other - what kind of shit is that??!!!! Unless u mufuccas are closely blood related like brothers, or first cousins, fuck that shit!!! - business is business!!

 

[Upgrade Dave]

Funny, I've been hearing from insiders that he just refuses to fight Ward who is his good friend. My sources are usually not wrong. They told me weeks in advance that Chale Sonnen had used steroids against Anderson Silva and then homeboy tested positive. Still I hope Dirrel is ok, head injuries are no joke. Wasn't that fight with Abraham a while ago though? They just now are announcing that he can't fight, this makes no sense.

It's likely they wanted to give him time to rest and recover and then tested him as the fight approached and he didn't do well.
This is fucked up. Abraham should be disqualified from the tournament and the whole thing scrapped and Ward and Froch fight to declare a winner.
Good idea, poor execution.

That'd be fucked up!!

Imo, too much time between fights, possibly too many fighters, the bantamweight tourney will have 4. Four months in between fights is enough. Then Froch and Abraham squabbling about where the fights are gonna be held, it's bullshit, either you fight or you're dq'ed from the tourney. No hometown bullshit, hold the fights in neutral territory. These euros always wanna fight at home to get the benefit of hometown decisions. The U.S. fighters fights should be held in Vegas unless said fighters are from there. Kessler, Ward, Dirrel, Abraham, Froch...and I have to agree with bunn's comment, Bute should have been part of this from the jump, dude is the truth. I understand they were trying to do some 3 on 3, Europe vs USA type shit but how about having the best, most exciting fighters only in the tournament. Jermain Taylor should never have been in this tourney imo. As far as Dirrel, I'd been reading and hearing from people for a while now that this fight with Ward kept getting pushed back because of their reluctance to fight each other - what kind of shit is that??!!!! Unless u mufuccas are closely blood related like brothers, or first cousins, fuck that shit!!! - business is business!!

The networks have become as possessive of fighters as the promoters have. They probably would have had to cooperate in some form with HBO and they wanted to make this something special for Showtime.

 

[tp2001]

...Froch and Abraham squabbling about where the fights are gonna be held, it's bullshit, either you fight or you're dq'ed from the tourney. No hometown bullshit, hold the fights in neutral territory. These euros always wanna fight at home to get the benefit of hometown decisions. The U.S. fighters fights should be held in Vegas unless said fighters are from there. Kessler, Ward, Dirrel, Abraham, Froch...and I have to agree with bunn's comment, Bute should have been part of this from the jump, dude is the truth. I understand they were trying to do some 3 on 3, Europe vs USA type shit but how about having the best, most exciting fighters only in the tournament. Jermain Taylor should never have been in this tourney imo.

You ridin with that Paul Pierce on this one no doubt....

 

[merce77]

You ridin with that Paul Pierce on this one no doubt....