{"id":47833,"date":"2014-11-18T15:03:19","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T20:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=47833"},"modified":"2014-11-18T15:20:19","modified_gmt":"2014-11-18T20:50:19","slug":"andre-dirrell-vs-derek-edwards-ibf-elimination-bout-set-for-december-19th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=47833","title":{"rendered":"Andre Dirrell Vs. Derek Edwards: IBF ELIMINATION BOUT Set for December 19th"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"reyesglovesheader\"<\/a>An IBF super middleweight elimination bout between 168-pound contender Andre \u201cThe Matrix\u201d Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and veteran spoiler Derek \u201cThe Black Lion\u201d Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas, has been confirmed as a 12-round co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition quadrupleheader on Friday, Dec. 19, live on SHOWTIME\u00ae (9 p.m. ET\/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Quebec.<\/p>\n

For the switch-hitting Dirrell, the elimination bout for the IBF\u2019s No. 2 position behind No. 1 James DeGale and champion Carl Froch will be his first start on SHOWTIME and fifth overall since getting injured against then-undefeated Arthur Abraham in his second Super Six World Boxing Classic fight on SHOWTIME on March 27, 2010.<\/p>\n

Dirrell had scored a knockdown in the fourth and was comfortably ahead of the Armenian on all scorecards heading into 11th. About a minute into the round, Dirrell slipped on a wet canvas and Abraham blatantly hit him while he was down, knocking Dirrell out cold and resulting in Abraham being disqualified. Dirrell suffered neurological issues as a result of the punch, withdrew from the tournament and was sidelined for 21 months.<\/p>\n

A fixture on SHOWTIME before the injury, Dirrell is quickly approaching the peak form he exhibited when he entered the Super Six and was regarded by many as one of boxing\u2019s fastest-rising contenders. Dirrell has won his last five fights, three by stoppage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to be back on the fast track and I\u2019m ready to show that this is definitely where I belong,\u201d Dirrell said. \u201cIt takes time to move back to the top, but I like to improve myself each time I step into the gym. I almost feel like I\u2019ve been overworking myself in the gym to prove that I\u2019m back.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I feel like I\u2019m there and ready for a title shot. And, when the time comes to prove that I\u2019m ready, I won\u2019t leave any doubt.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

A 2004 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist and the older brother of WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony Dirrell, Andre scored a second-round TKO in his return to the ring on Dec. 30, 2011, but didn\u2019t fight again until February 2013. He\u2019s been victorious in both his fights in 2014, winning his last via fourth-round TKO over Nick Brinson on Oct. 8.<\/p>\n

After blasting out Vladine Biosse two starts ago, the 31-year-old Dirrell called out IBF Champ Froch, who was the unbeaten WBC 168-pound champion when he dealt Dirrell his lone loss via a controversial, 12-round split-decision in his native England in the first Super Six fight for both fighters on Oct. 17, 2009.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I won that fight against Froch,\u201d Dirrell said. \u201cI think everyone knows I won that fight. He\u2019s the one opponent I want and the fact that he\u2019s a world champion again is just icing on the cake. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been defeated and I want that title shot. Hopefully he doesn\u2019t retire because I know the world wants to see that rematch.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to fight the best at 168. I want to unify the division, but if my brother does that first then I will move up to 175. I have a lot of work to do in a little amount of time \u2013 I want to fight for about five more years \u2013 and if Anthony runs me out at 168 then I\u2019ll go up to 175.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before Dirrell gets his shot at a title he must first defeat a power-punching opponent who has a knack for upsets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis guy may have power, but power-punchers are the best opponents for pure boxers, for slick guys like me,\u201d Dirrell said. \u201cThat\u2019s when I\u2019m at my best. I\u2019m not even looking at his power \u2013 his will and determination in the fight will be more important than his power.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know he\u2019s going to be at his best when he steps in the ring on Dec. 19. He\u2019s been in some tough fights, but I don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen the best from him yet. I\u2019m not worried about anything but getting the job done and I know I will when the time comes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edwards, who once fought light heavyweight kingpin Adonis Stevenson when he was campaigning at 168 pounds, is coming off perhaps the most unlikely result of the year, a stunning 1:01, first-round knockout of previously-unbeaten, top-five ranked Badou Jack on ShoBox: The New Generation last Feb. 28 on SHOWTIME.<\/p>\n

An extreme longshot going in, Edwards twice dropped Jack, the first coming with an overhand short right 32 seconds into the match. Moments later, Edwards registered another knockdown from a right followed by a glancing left hook. Jack stumbled to his feet but the referee had seen enough and waved off the bout.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m definitely confident going in against Andre,\u201d Edwards said. \u201cHe\u2019s a different fighter than Jack. He had a good amateur background and fought some of the best super middleweights in the Super Six, but I see some things I can exploit in Andre. I know I\u2019ll need to force the action on him and be the aggressor.<\/p>\n

\u201cA win like this would put a lot of other fighters on notice; let guys know that I can deal with the speed of a fighter like Andre and the power of a guy like Jack. And it would give me the confidence to fight anyone.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

A \u201ctraveling underdog\u201d who has fought from 161 to 185 pounds, Edwards, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., is known for an ambidextrous style of fighting. Despite only six amateur bouts, he won his first 25 fights \u2013 more than 50 percent by knockout \u2013 after turning professional in October 2002.<\/p>\n

And while he\u2019s never faced an opponent with the speed, amateur pedigree and as naturally athletic as Dirrell, he knows that a second consecutive upset victory could forever change his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been this motivated for a fight,\u201d said the 34-year-old Edwards. \u201cA win like this would put a lot of things on the table, open up a lot of doors and opportunities. It\u2019s definitely the biggest fight of my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no tomorrow. It\u2019s just one night. I need to seize the moment and lay it all out on the line. This is my one big shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the main event on Dec. 19, hard-hitting WBC and The Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis \u201cSuperman\u201d Stevenson (24-1, 20 KOs) will defend against Dmitry “The Hunter” Sukhotskiy (22-2, 16 KOs), of Russia.<\/p>\n

Kevin Bizier (23-1, 16 KOs), of Quebec, will face the only man to defeat him, Canadian-based Romanian Jo Jo Dan (33-2, 18 KOs) in a 12-round IBF welterweight eliminator \u2013 the winner to face World Champion Kell Brook \u2013 in the second clash of a four-fight telecast. The opener will feature the SHOWTIME debut of two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6 KOs), who twice beat WBO\/WBA\/IBF Champion Sergey Kovalev in the amateurs. Beterbiev meets fellow unbeaten Jeff Page Jr. (15-0, 10 KOs), of Andover, Kansas, in a 10-round light heavyweight scrap.<\/p>\n

Tickets for an event presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron, range from $25 to $250 and are on sale in the branches of the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec (418) 691-7211 or 1 (800) 900-7469, online at www.billeteck.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An IBF super middleweight elimination bout between 168-pound contender Andre \u201cThe Matrix\u201d Dirrell (23-1, 16 KOs), of Flint, Mich., and veteran spoiler Derek \u201cThe Black Lion\u201d Edwards (27-3-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas, has been confirmed as a 12-round co-feature of a SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition quadrupleheader on Friday, Dec. 19, live on SHOWTIME\u00ae (9 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[11131],"class_list":["post-47833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boxing-news","tag-andre-dirrell-vs-derek-edwards-ibf-elimination-bout-set-for-december-19th"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47833"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47833\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}