Super Middleweights
Anthony Dirrell (27-1-1, 22 KOs) vs. Marco Antonio Rubio (59-7-1, 51 KOs)Anthony Dirrell will attempt to rebound from the first loss of his professional career when he faces veteran Mexican fighter Marco Antonio Rubio on Sunday in the latest offering from Premier Boxing Champions.
The 10-round super middleweight contest takes place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, and airs via PBC on CBS at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. The card also includes a bantamweight title rematch between Jamie McDonnell and Tomoki Kameda in the co-main event.
The Matchup: In his last outing, Dirrell relinquished his 168-pound title in a majority decision loss to Badou Jack this past April. Dirrell entered the bout as a solid favorite, but Jack was able to prevail by using his jab to get on the inside. As the fight progressed, Dirrell appeared to tire against his more aggressive opponent.
If a fighter is able to pressure Dirrell as Jack did, his punching volume and overall activity level has a tendency to wane. This was also evident in his first meeting with Sakio Bika, which resulted in a draw. While the general consensus seems to be that Rubio has been handpicked to allow Dirrell to return to the win column, the Mexican brawler’s aggressive style could present some problems if Dirrell fight smart and maintain a consistent output.
The most recent image of Rubio isn’t especially flattering, as he missed weight before being steamrolled by Gennady Golovkin via second-round knockout in October. A loss to Golovkin by itself is nothing of which to be ashamed, but many expected Rubio to , if not be competitive, at least survive longer than he did.
Now the 35-year-old will move from 160 pounds to super middleweight, where he will face a height and reach disadvantage against Dirrell, an opponent who is capable of using his size to keep foes at a distance in a more technical fight.
It will be up to Rubio to push the pace in hopes of making Dirrell wilt. The longtime veteran possesses decent power and does a good job of setting up his right hand with his jab. His tenacity is also an asset, but his tendency to leave openings where he can be hit will be problematic against a larger foe.
While some of Dirrell’s flaws were exposed in recent fights, his record is what it is for a reason. The Flint, Mich., native is technical at times, but he doesn’t shy from exchanges when necessary. He has dangerous knockout power in his right hand and he should be able to inflict a fair amount of punishment if Rubio attempts to bait him into a brawl.
If Dirrell lands early, which is a distinct possibility because Rubio sometimes takes a few rounds to find his timing, he can force his foe to move backward, which makes him far less effective.
The Pick: Not only is Dirrell the bigger fighter, but he should also have the ability to outbox his foe. Expect Rubio to improve upon his showing against Golovkin, but he will still be outgunned in a new division. Dirrell by decision or late TKO.