In this video interview with FightHype, super middleweight Andre Dirrell talks about his upcoming rematch with Jose Uzcategui following the controversial ending over their first meeting last May. Check out what he had to say about the fight...
Dirrell on his thoughts about the Uzcategui rematch:
“I’m really excited, man. I’m here in Oakland, CA, putting in work at the infamous Andre Ward’s gym with my boy Virgil, man. And we got a game plan in mind that’s gonna definitely work. This is a big, big fight for me. I can easily say one of the biggest in my career...You know, [Uzcategui’s] a tough guy, he definitely thinks he can beat me...This is where I bring out my bag of tricks. You know, Virgil’s showing me a lot, defensively mainly. Offensively...how to utilize the ring so that we capitalize on a lot of things and we just moving forward, man.”
On if he feels it’s time to make a statement and cement his legacy:
“It’s definitely time to make my statement, I’m 34-years-old. I am on my way out, whether I wanna be or not. And I wanna be gone within a few years, so I definitely wanna accomplish what I want, you know, what I set my mind to. In this game I got a small window.
“This game is for the youngins, man...I’m a veteran, I’ve been doing this for a long time, 14 blessed years in the sport. Definitely a roller coaster ride. So it’s time for me to start making my exit. And I understand that. You know, I don’t got time to be in here with a bunch of 24 and 25-year-olds, man. You know, in their prime. I wanna beat up a couple more guys and I wanna make my exit, man. And I got a couple championships I wanna get, I believe I will achieve that, and when I do that I can make my exit man, and enjoy the sport from the outside...”
On what he expects to go differently in this rematch, if he was surprised by Uzcategui at all:
“He didn’t surprise me with a damn thing, honestly, man. Boy is strong — I knew that. He slow — and I knew that. And things won’t change! I mean, he might add a little pressure but that’s exactly what I’m working on now, and that’s exactly what I’m looking forward to, and that’s all he can do.
“What’s gonna change is my perspective: how I see, how I go, how I take the fight. And I will take the fight. That’s what I’m most looking forward to, man. I wish I was here before, the past couple fights, but it’s a blessing to be here now. It’s a blessing to have all my limbs, my health. You know, 14 years in this game, that’s not a typical career for a professional athlete, professional boxer at that. So it’s a blessing I’m still in full health and got all my limbs, man. So I plan on taking full advantage, man.
“Uzcategui, like I said, he’s a hungry fighter. He’s pretty young, 27, 28, I’m not sure how old he is. And he has a lot to prove, man. So I have to bring out everything, you know what I’m sayin’? It ain’t even about my bag of tricks, it’s about just my smarts and boxing him and utilizing the ring like a boxer should do...He really humbled me that first fight, man, and let me know that he’s there. And that’s what I’m looking for in my exit, I’m wanna make statements.
“I don’t wanna fight, you know, this guy that somebody kinda know about, leading up to this guy. I want the big ones. I want DeGale again, you know what I’m saying. I couldn’t get Froch. At least I can get one of those on my rematch so we’re in the IBF rankings right now. So I’m chasing that title right now, I believe I will get it and once I do — or DeGale gets it, who knows — then we gotta make our fight again and I plan on hopefully closing my career out with a huge fight, man. A mega one at that.”