LAS VEGAS — Although he has flirted with retirement in recent years, two-time super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell proved on Saturday that he’s not quite done yet.
Dirrell (34-2-2, 25 KOs) landed a perfect right uppercut to floor and finish journeyman Marcos Hernandez in their 168-pound bout inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fight served as the co-main event to the Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant fight for all four super middleweight world titles.
Hernandez (15-5-2, 3 KOs) reached his feet at the count of 10, but referee Celestino Ruiz didn’t like what he saw in the native of California’s eyes and waved the fight off at 22 seconds of Round 4.
“I had to slip and put it right on the button,” Dirrell said. “We practiced that in the gym and it worked.”
Dirrell’s uppercut turned the chin of Hernandez to bring an abrupt finish to a fight that was slowly starting to heat up. Dirrell out landed Hernandez by a margin of 46 to 40, according to ShoStats, and did a celebratory backflip in the ring following the victory.
After the right, the 37-year-old Dirrell made a case to advance to face the winner of Alvarez-Plant. The Michigan native bounced back nicely from a draw against Kyrone Davis in February.
“We worked hard for it and that’s the key,” Dirrell said. “If I give 100 percent, I know I can do it. We worked everyday for the past two months. I think I won [his last fight against Kyrone Davis] and it was a bit difficult without the crowd there.”
