Dirrell ‘It Wont Go Twelve Rounds’
Posted by Michael Payne on 10.12.2009
Today I went along to the Crown Plaza hotel in Nottingham to see Andre Dirrell show his stuff in a media workout ahead of his fight with Carl Froch. Here’s what ‘The Matrix’ had to say to me.
Andre Dirrell looked in a confident and happy mood today at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Nottingham as he gets ready for the biggest test of his career when he takes on Carl Froch on Saturday night as part of the Super Six World Boxing Classic.
On his preparation for the fight:
I have added a few things for this fight but mainly I have just build on what I was already doing, add more rounds, working harder and keeping myself mentally prepared. 100% work period, that's what I did differently 100% work. Pushing myself harder, that's the key word pushing MYSELF. The coaches didn't have to tell me too much, because I know what has to be done. The fire is in me, the passion is in me, so the work ethic was there, effort less.
On the pressures of going into the Super Six against established champions:
I just have a strong mental game you know. Know you did the best outside the ring so you can do your best inside the ring. I know I did my best outside the ring. I kept myself highly motivated and I'm ready, now I have just got to finish.
Dirrell on fighting Carl Froch:
I have fast hands and he sacrifices, he'll take a punch to give one. So I have to take that punch, take multiple punches and get out of there period. I have to capitalize on his defense, I have to capitalize on counters and I have to utilize the ring.
Dirrell's thoughts on how the fight will go down:
I honestly believe there is going to be a stoppage. I don't believe it is going to go twelve rounds period. Either he is going to take too many of my blows or I could take three or four of his. It could go either way. He is bringing a lot of animosity to this fight, I'm bringing a lot of animosity to this fight. I have a lot to prove in this fight and he has to prove that he deserves that WBC title and we are both action packed exciting fighters, so I don't see it going twelve. If he gets hit, I mean your chin is strong when you can see a punch coming, if you cant see that car coming from the side when you get side swiped you cant brace for it. I honestly believe there is going to be a stoppage.
His opinions on the caliber of the other fighters:
It's more than enough for me, I'm an underdog. I am highly appreciative of who's in the tournament now. Kessler makes up for dam near all those people who are complaining there out the tournament. Cuz I feel a lot of them can't stand up to Kessler, you know what I'm saying. Who should be in the tournament is in the tournament and its already written whose gonna win this tournament. We all just gotta come out here and bring it.
On who is a threat in the tournament :
I see all the fighters as a threat. Everybody brings there own unique skill to the tournament. Everybody's hungry so this tournament alone is a threat. If I fight a person who's lost his first two he is going to be the biggest threat so there is going to be threats left and right, back and forth period.
