By Ben Carey
Andre Dirrell needed two attempts to make the weight ahead of his Super Six super-middleweight tournament showdown with Carl Froch at Nottingham’s Trent FM Arena tonight. The American, who will challenge Froch for his WBC super-middleweight title, initially tipped the scales fractionally over the super-middleweight title limit at 168.4 lbs at the first time of asking at the weigh-in yesterday afternoon.
Dirrell quickly returned to the gym at his hotel to lose the excess poundage. He returned one hour later to finally make the weight on the second attempt registering 167.5 pounds on the scales. In contrast, consummate professional Froch comfortably made the weight at the first time of asking, registering 167.4 lbs.
“It was a simple misjudgement on my part, my scales at the hotel said I was on the weight so it was just a misunderstanding. I didn’t have to train yesterday or today so I haven’t had to work hard to make the weight, in fact I was on the weight yesterday but it was just a misunderstanding on my part with the scales,” insisted Dirrell afterwards.
“It hasn’t bothered me at all. In fact it only adds more fuel to the fire for me tomorrow night and made me even more determined to bring that WBC belt back home with me to the U.S,” he added.
A focused Froch however believes Dirrell’s perceived weight making difficulties have already handed the Nottingham star a psychological before the opening bell rings.
“He’s a big, tall lad and he obviously has to work hard to make the weight but it’s very unprofessional on his part not to get it right first time,” blasted Froch. “He’s obviously been training right up to the weigh in and not eating or drinking right if at all and he’s still needed a second attempt to make it. Mentally that will be devastating for him,” the WBC champion reasoned.
“He can say what he wants but to miss it by that much first time round he must have really struggled. I’m a consummate professional and I never miss the weight. I’d my breakfast this morning, a bowl of cereal, a banana and an apple so I’m fully fuelled up.
“I never have a problem making the weight and that’s why I’m still punching hard in the last few rounds when the other guys are fading late on. It’s obviously a good sign for me but I’m not going to waste too much time thinking about it. I’m better than him, I’m stronger than him and I’m going to beat him anyway regardless of the weight issue,” asserted Froch.
Froch-Dirrell will follow tonight’s opening Super Six bout between former middleweight champions Arthur Abraham and Jermain Taylor, who Froch dramatically stopped in the 12th and final round in April. The two men clash at The O2 World Arena in Berlin as the Super Six tournament kicks off before the action switches to Nottingham for Froch’s WBC World Super Middleweight title defence against 2004 Olympic medalist Dirrell. Abraham-Taylor will be screened live on big screens inside the Trent FM Arena.
It what promises to be an exciting and memorable evening, both Froch and Abraham can come from behind on the scorecards to record late stoppage wins.
To watch the opening night of the Super Six tournament on Primetime (Sky channel 480) call 0871 200 4444 (+448702 416 666 from the Republic of Ireland) or see http://www.primetimelive.co.uk. The event is now available at a price of £14.95.
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. The field is comprised of world renowned fighters with a staggering combined record of 161-4-1 with 117 knockouts: former IBF middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham of Germany; U.S. Olympic medalist Andre “The Matrix” Dirrell of Flint, Mich.; WBC super middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch of England; WBA 168-pound champion Mikkel “Viking Warrior” Kessler of Denmark; former undisputed 160-pound world champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor of Little Rock, Ark.; and U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward of Oakland , Calif.
All bouts in the Super Six World Boxing Classic 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 trophy.
