Highlights
–Andre Dirrell matched Blake Caparello’s southpaw stance, stalking and landing left crosses behind his jab to start the fight. However, after a crisp opening stanza, Dirrell was shockingly floored by a second-round overhand left in Round 2.
–Dirrell brought the fight to Caparello in Rounds 3-7, bullying and pinning his Australian foe on the ropes and winning exchanges to the head. In the third, Dirrell nearly dropped Caparello with a thumping left.
–After blasting Caparello with power shots in the first half of the contest, Dirrell returned to boxing over the latter rounds, remaining wary of the wild right hooks and left crosses that Caparello’s corner implored him to throw down the stretch.
Andre Dirrell figured to be a bit rusty Friday night following a nearly yearlong ring absence. Sure enough, the Flint, Michigan, native took a knee after getting caught with a sneaky shot from fellow southpaw Blake Caparello.
It turned out to be the only adversity Dirrell would have to overcome.
A two-time title challenger, Dirrell (25-2, 16 KOs) shook off the flash knockdown and went on to dominate his Australian opponent in a 169-pound contest at Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Dirrell, a 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist, won every round but the second on all three cards, prevailing by a trio of scores of 98-91.
Back in the ring for the first time since losing his world title to James DeGale by unanimous decision last May, Dirrell got clocked by Caparello (22-2-1, 6 KOs) late in the second round and hit the deck. From there, however, it was Dirrell who dictated the action.
Applying pressure through the middle rounds, the Flint, Michigan, native frequently pinned Caparello on the ropes, connecting with calculated shots while remaining wary of the wild right hooks and left hands the Australian's corner implored him to land.
Aware that he had fully regained control of the fight, the 32-year-old Dirrell switched from puncher to boxer during the latter rounds. In the end, he had little trouble ending Caparello’s three-fight winning streak and handing the 29-year-old his second professional defeat.
Anthony Dirrell (left) survived a second-round knockdown against Blake Caparello on Friday to win by a wide unanimous decision in a 169-pound battle. (Dave Nadkarni/Premier Boxing Champions)
