It hasn’t been a great year for the Dirrell brothers so far. Anthony Dirrell was outpointed by Badou Jack in April, and Andre also lost a decision to James DeGale in May. But Anthony will be looking to return to winning ways by beating veteran Marco Antonio Rubio on September 6th.
The Dirrell vs Rubio card will be a PBC on CBS event, and could possibly lead to some big fights for Dirrell. There are some big names currently filling the Super Middleweight Top 10 spots, and Dirrell will be looking to enter back into the mix.
“I’m ready to get back in the ring and prove that I’m still one of the most dangerous men in the game,” Dirrell told RingTV. “Rubio is a tough guy but I’m coming to knock him out and eventually get my title back. ‘The Dog’ is coming to Texas looking to inflict some pain.”
Hard-as-nails Rubio is of course no pushover, but shouldn’t prove too much trouble – even after he jumps up from 160 pounds. The Mexican fighter was last seen falling in 2 against Gennady Golovkin back in November 2014. Like Dirrell, Rubio (59-7-1, 51 KO) is looking to make the most of this opportunity.
“I’m very excited to face Anthony Dirrell on September 6,” said Rubio. “This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I’m going to leave it all in the ring. I promise a great fight for all the fans that come out in Texas.”
Dirrell (27-1-1, 22 KO) seemed to be on the way to victory in the early stages of his WBC title defense in April. But the Michigan-native came unstuck against his challenger, Badou Jack, and ended up losing a Majority Decision. For what’s it’s worth, the bout was closer than the scorecards suggested.
The headliner will be supported by a rematch between Jamie McDonnell and Tomoki Kameda. After receiving scores of 114-113 thrice in their first encounter in May, it’s no wonder these two are looking to settle unfinished business. McDonnell will be making his third defense of the WBA Bantamweight strap.
What’s your take on the Dirrell vs Rubio match-up, and the hotly contested McDonnell vs Kameda II?
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