?100%. I?m ready to get in there and start fighting now.?
Andre Dirrell is ready to go.
It?s been a long time since ?The Matrix? has been inside the squared circle.
?I haven?t fought in 18, 19 months man, so I?m really pumped up about it,? said Dirrell to Boxing Insider on Monday. ?I?m really focused in on what I gotta do. And I?m more focused on my showing more than anything?my performance more than anything man.?
When we last saw Andre Dirrell, he was giving a boxing clinic to ?King? Arthur Abraham at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in March of 2010. After a cheap shot from Abraham disqualified the German, Dirrell got the W. Unfortunately, the punch that earned him the DQ win, was also one that has sidelined him for the better part of two years. Friday night on Showtime, Dirrell returns to the ring, taking on fellow Michigan native Darryl Cunningham in a scheduled 10-rounder. After so much time off, can Dirrell retain the same form that saw him compete so competitively with the division?s best?
?I know that you can rust when you sit out longer than usual, so I?m kinda expecting that,? continued Andre. ?But above all, I put in the hard work. Man?I?ve trained to perfection. I believe I will fight to the best of my abilities but, you know I?m just hoping it?s good enough to move on to that next?back up to that elite level, that championship level. I?ve been training at an elite level and I?ve been working hard. My mind?s been there the whole time, so I?m really expecting big things from myself as well, you know, a great performance from myself as well. So I?m hoping to give you guys one?just an all out A+ performance.?
