Flint’s Andre Dirrell Stops Darryl Cunningham of Detroit in I-75 Showdown
By Gautham Nagesh
Super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell made short work of veteran Darryl Cunningham in a matchup of Michigan men in California on ShoBox Friday night.
The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist struck the Detroiter with a beautiful left hand in the second round that all but ended the fight. The resulting debate between the ref and Cunningham’s corner followed by a superfluous knockdown from Dirrell were merely window dressing on a dominant return by the Flint native after a 21-month layoff.
Dirrell hasn’t fought since his elegant performance last March against Arthur Abraham in the Super Six tournament, a fight marred by a reprehensible foul that left Andre severely injured. Dirrell slipped to the mat in the tenth round while leading on all the cards, where Abraham struck him with a vicious and thoroughly illegal right hand. Dirrell slumped to ground with neurological damage, which contributed heavily to his withdrawal from the tournament later on.
Dirrell’s dynamic showing should quell some of the concerns the Abraham fight dulled his tremendous potential. He told Showtime’s Steve Farhood he knows some rebuilding is needed but he still expects to earn a world title in 2012.
“I’m back. That’s all that matters, I’m back,” beamed Dirrell. “I’m glad to be in the squared circle. I’m thankful to God that he’s got me this far. I don’t take no opponent for granted. Darryl Cunningham came to fight, he came to win but unfortunately I put that victory off. I’m just glad I’m back. It’s been an emotional time.”
Dirrell showed little rust but he still believes better things are in store. His notable speed and two-handed power appear intact despite the layoff, which is an excellent if early indication of his promise.
“I’d like to pick up my game 100 percent. I have a long road to go, it’s almost like starting over,” he said. “But we know we have a long road. My speed is there, my timing is there, I’m feeling great. I’m going to just keep pushing forward.”
The first round saw both men come out with confidence and work their jabs from the southpaw stance. Cunningham is a natural lefty that has reeled off 17 straight wins against middling opposition. His previous payday against Kelly Pavlik was canceled, putting him in line for a step up against a potentially rusty Dirrell. But Andre was sharp from the opening bell and his lengthy reach allowed him to probe the Detroiter’s body, while Cunningham had mixed success with his own jab.
The second round saw Andre impose his talent on the clearly over-matched Cunningham. Dirrell, who switches stances naturally like his brother Anthony, measured Cunningham with a pair of beautiful straight left hands that forced Cunningham to tie up. A love tap on the break from Dirrell brought a warning from the ref, but when the fighters came back together Dirrell wasted no time in landing the picture-perfect left hand.
Cunningham lay on his back for half the count before rising uncertainly to his feet. The force and speed of the blow had clearly killed his spirit. As he slumped on the ropes his corner threw in the towel, but the ref ignored the act and allowed Darryl extra time to recover. After the re-start Dirrell landed a roundhouse left followed by a short right that sent Cunningham down again. The game Detroiter rose to fight once more but his corner stepped into the ring and saved him further damage.
“I wanted it to go further and I felt a little off on my timing, but everything I threw I threw with full confidence,” Dirrell explained. “And that’s really all that matters. You have to throw all your punches with full confidence and just know that it’s going to work.
Every punch I threw I just knew it was going to work. And that left hand came, and it landed and it worked so I’m here,” Dirrell concluded.
Dirrell is immediately a factor in the super middleweight picture thanks to his last two performances, but he appears likely to take another stay-busy opponent before stepping up against world-class opposition. His younger brother Anthony is currently the number one contender for the WBC title held by Andre Ward, but the older Dirrell would be a far more formidable opponent for the top-ranked Ward.
Both Dirrell and Cunningham knew considerable pride was at stake given the rivalry between Flint and Detroit, but in hindsight Cunningham had no chance. Dirrell is another class of boxer and may be the best fighter residing in Michigan at the moment, especially since Floyd Mayweather and Peter Quillin have both moved West.
“I want Flint town to stand up because I’ve been doing it for my city and my city really needs it. I love all y’all back home in Flint, Michigan. I’m coming home baby,” said Dirrell in a nod to his hardscrabble hometown. “Whoever thinks they’re ready for me, call me out. If you don’t call me out I’ll call you out.”
Dirrell was reticent about his future plans but our guess is he finds an opponent that can offer more than Cunningham but less than Ward or Dirrell’s lone conqueror Carl Froch. Regardless we hope to see him in a headlining fight against either, or potentially challenging IBF kingpin Lucian Bute in 2012. Only that level of opposition appears enough to challenge the Michigander most likely to join Mayweather and Cornelius Bundrage on the state’s list of active boxing world champions.