Former super middleweight titlist Anthony Dirrell has a lot riding on his fight against Marcos Hernandez. Hear why retirement might be next.
Anthony Dirrell is a two-time WBC super middleweight champion. He’s hoping for another title shot if victorious against Marcos Hernandez on Nov. 6, but he could call his boxing career quits if that doesn’t happen.
Dirrell (32-2-2, 24 KOs) turned professional a little under 17 years ago. Today, at 37 years old, Dirrell feels the wear of his age. He’s not aged in conventional terms, but he’s a senior citizen by boxing’s standards.
“I’m getting up there for boxing, especially with these young boys coming in, and you know, taking over the sport,” Dirrell told FanSided. “I’m not gonna be that old guy that sit there and take punishment and be messed up afterwards.”
Dirrell has dished out and absorbed lots of damage over his many years in the ring. He has glorious moments, like when he dropped Caleb Truax twice for a round 1 TKO in 2016, but there are also painful times like when a nasty gash over his right eye forced his corner to stop the fight against David Benavidez.
Dirrell’s body feels different today than it did 10 years ago, but he still desires to put in the work to offset the effects of time.
“That’s 10 years of wear and tear,” said Dirrell. “So it is different, but you still push through and do the same thing that you’ve been doing to get to where you are.”
Anthony Dirrell fights Marcos Hernandez on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant for a night that will have a major impact on the super middleweight division
Hernandez (15-4-2, 3 KOs) doesn’t have the name or record that gets attention, but his résumé is top-notch. The 28-year-old from Fresno, CA, is nine years younger than Dirrell and has only been stopped once. He’s coming off a significant win against previously undefeated Jose Resendiz in September, but that was as a middleweight.
Dirrell is a skilled veteran and knows that he can’t look past Hernandez, but he can’t help but consider his future options. He’s fighting on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant, which will crown an undisputed super middleweight champion.
Dirrell, like every boxer in the division, wants the winner of Alvarez vs. Plant. Unlike the others, Dirrell knows that he’s on borrowed time. His career is nearing the end, and Dirrell doesn’t want to carry on if there isn’t a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
“I want to win this fight and hopefully get the winner of the main event,” said Dirrell. “If not, then it’s a high possibility that I’ll hang it up. Just because I’m 37 years old, man. I got kids at home that I’ve been going from, you know, sacrifice. You got to make sacrifices to get to where you want to be. And I made them sacrifices already. So I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to get the winner.”
If Plant wins, then there’s a higher possibility that Dirrell could get one last chance of regaining a world title. Both are PBC fighters. If Alvarez wins, then there’s little hope Dirrell will be next. Alvarez is a promotional free agent and can choose his destiny.
The hardest thing for a fighter to do is walk away from the sport. Too often, they stay around longer than they should. Yes, they’ve earned the right to make their own decisions, but it’s usually a painful way to say goodbye.
There’s peace in Dirrell’s voice when talking about the end, but talking about retirement and following through with it are two different things. Dirrell shows wisdom when discussing the inevitable. Hopefully, he holds onto that clarity if a title fight eludes him.