Carl Froch speculates on Andre Dirrell injury
Fellow participants have begun weighing in on Andre Dirrell’s withdrawal from the Super Six boxing tournament.
In a recent column in the Nottingham Post, former WBC champion Carl Froch mused on Dirrell’s withdrawal due to neurological complaints. While reluctant to give a definite opinion on the legitimacy of
the injury, Froch nevertheless spoke about some of the facts leading up to the incident.
“The Michigan man [Dirrell] claims he has suffered headaches since being knocked out by Arthur Abraham. I'm not going to be drawn on whether the injury is legitimate or not because there seems to be so
much speculation around it all. But it would seem many of the boxing fans out there are split on the legitimacy of it. Some claim it's genuine and some say it's not," Froch wrote.
The Englishman continued: “Some would argue that yes, it was a heavy blow sustained by an unprepared Dirrell as he lay on the canvas. But others would argue that it was a grazing punch – and that the fight
could have been cancelled before its original date in September.”
Froch’s inquiries seem to suggest he doubts parts of Dirrell’s claim. His point that the injury, if serious, should have been reported long before it was is one that has yet to be seriously examined by
authorities.
Froch likewise hinted that an announcement made by Dirrell’s promoter, Gary Shaw, complicates matters. The night after Dirrell’s fight with Abraham, Shaw stated that medical professionals had cleared
Dirrell after brain scans and determined him fit for combat.
Finally Froch pondered the friendship of WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward and Andre Dirrell, and asked whether it got in the way of their projected 27 November bout.
“[The point of] a lot of boxing analysts is that Ward and Dirrell put their friendship and careers first and decided against the match-up. […] If Andre [Dirrell] is injured and there is a problem, then
I can only wish him a speedy recovery.”
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