Andre Dirrell acting job taints night in Detroit -- The Examiner

By T.K. Stewart, Examiner.com

Joe Louis versus Max Schmeling it was not.

This America versus Germany match-up, featuring Andre Dirrell from Flint, Michigan against Arthur Abraham from Armenia via Berlin, Germany was nothing like the night Louis and Schmeling met in 1938 at New York's Yankee Stadium.

On that night, Louis a.k.a. "The Brown Bomber" so decisively triumphed over Nazi Germany's Max Schmeling, in less than a round, that it made everyone proud to be American.

Last night at Detroit's near empty Joe Louis Arena, Dirrell was far ahead on the official judges scorecards after 10 completed rounds. He had put on a solid display of boxing against a relatively passive Arthur Abraham and was leading by tallies of 97-92, 97-92 and 98-91. I had him ahead 97-91.

But in the 11th round, Dirrell, 19-1 (13)KO, appeared to slip to the floor on the wet ring canvas. As he did Abraham lightly clipped him with a right hand to the head. Dirrell seemed to have his wits about him, even raised his hand to his head in shock, made a face - and then simply fell over to the floor in mock pain and agony.

Texas referee Laurence Cole went for the bait - hook, line and sinker and he immediately disqualified Abraham for the late hit.

Dirrell, who to me seems a bit light on guts, had found his way out of a fight he was winning handily and is thus able to continue on, albeit indecisively, in the Showtime network's Super Six World Boxing Classic 168-pound tournament.

"I got dropped man! He hit me when I was down!" was all that Dirrell was able to whine once the fight had been called off, he was out of harm's way and the decision in his favor announced.

Abraham, who suffered his first career loss after having been knocked down in the fourth round, lost his perfect record and falls to 31-1 (25)KO. He was extremely disappointed with the result and seemed to sense that Dirrell's animated display of pain was a total farce.

"I did not see that he was down," said Abraham. "This can't be a disqualification. I shouldn't have been disqualified for this."

Abraham seemed to be surging as he had won the 10th round on my scorecard. He was giving Dirrell a good going over in the 11th before his night was cut short by the thespian Dirrell, who, with some acting lessons, may have a potential career in Hollywood.

"I did not see that he was down," said Abraham in his own defense. "He's a good actor, he's a good actor."

Expect that Abraham's promoter, Wilfried Sauerland, will aggressively rail against the disqualification loss. Abraham is one of the crown jewels of his promotional empire and to have his man's reputation and record tarnished in this manner will not sit well with him.

Nor should it.

The boxing ring is no place for actors - especially ones as putrid as Andre Dirrell.

E-mail: tkstewartboxing@gmail.com

Source: examiner.com