First loss, injury don’t deter Dirrell

For the first time in his six-year professional boxing career, Andre Dirrell will be fighting after a loss when he meets Arthur Abraham on Saturday in Detroit.

Dirrell was undefeated before losing a 12-round split decision to Carl Froch on Oct. 17 in the first round of Showtime's Super Six super middleweight tournament. Now, Dirrell (18-1, 13 knockouts) has to face arguably the toughest fighter in the event.

Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) leads the Super Six competition after knocking out Jermain Taylor on Oct. 17, sending Taylor into retirement.

"It (the loss) bothered me a lot," Dirrell said. "It made me wonder where my career was going. But I've put it behind me, and you're going to see me at my best on the 27th."

Dirrell originally was scheduled to fight Abraham on March 6. But Dirrell hurt his back in mid-February while training in Las Vegas, and the fight was postponed until Saturday and moved from Rancho Mirage, Calif., to Joe Louis Arena.

"I feel great. My back is 100 percent," Dirrell said. "Getting hurt may have been a blessing in disguise, because it gave me more time to prepare, and I've used it to work on the strategic aspect of the game plan."

Born in Armenia, Abraham lives in Germany and has fought most of his career in that country. He has had one fight in the United States, stopping Edison Miranda in the fourth round of their May 21, 2008, fight in Hollywood, Fla.

Dirrell, of Flint, Mich., will have hometown support when he enters the ring.

"I'm sure I'll feel the energy when I get to the ring," Dirrell said. "But what you do in the ring is the bottom line."

Like many fighters, Dirrell said he came to Las Vegas to train so he wouldn't be distracted.

"It's hard to focus if you're training at home," Dirrell said. "You've got family. You've got friends. They're all pulling at you.

"But Vegas is the perfect place for me. I can run the mountains (at Mount Charleston). I have great sparring. It's all about boxing here for me."

Dirrell left Las Vegas on Saturday for Detroit. He said the game plan for beating Abraham is simple.

"He's going to come forward with power, and you have to be smart and break his game," Dirrell said. "We have a great game plan, and I have no doubt I'm going to win this fight."

■ ADDITIONAL TEST -- Frans Botha has a history of testing positive for steroids, and before the Nevada Athletic Commission grants him a license for his April 10 heavyweight fight with Evander Holyfield at the Thomas & Mack Center, the commission wants to make sure the 41-year-old from Durban, South Africa, is clean.

Botha is expected to arrive in Las Vegas in late March. Upon his arrival, he will provide a urine sample to the NAC. If he tests clean, he will be licensed to fight.

The NAC requested the additional test after Botha's earlier urinalysis did not cover Nevada's protocol as it pertains to recreational drugs and steroids. In 1995, Botha tested positive for Nandrolone, a steroid, when he fought Axel Schultz.

■ OFFICIALS SELECTED -- The NAC has selected Tony Weeks to referee the April 3 light heavyweight fight between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. at Mandalay Bay.

The judges will be Dave Moretti and Glenn Trowbridge from Las Vegas and Don Trella from Connecticut.

Russell Mora will referee the Holyfield-Botha fight, with Jerry Roth of Las Vegas, Herb Santos of Reno and Glenn Feldman of Connecticut serving as judges.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.