Andre Dirrell won the interim IBF super middleweight title on Saturday night in Maryland under dubious circumstances after his opponent, Jose Uzcategui, was disqualified due to a punch after the bell that sent Dirrell to the canvas at the end of the eighth round. While the end to the fight was crazy on its own, what happened after the decision was announced in Uzcategui’s corner.
Dirrell’s uncle, Leon Lawson, serves as one of his trainers and was incensed by the late punch and, after Dirrell had already come over and spoken with Uzcategui and all seemed to be well, threw a wild sucker punch that tagged Uzcategui and incited a near riot in the ring.
Wow this just happened during the Andre Dirrell fight. pic.twitter.com/pMgia7MUWT
— Swizzie7 (@swizzie7) May 21, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUVmIKGgZHR/
Lawson is now wanted by law enforcement after the punch, as members of Uzcategui’s camp ringside reportedly yelled that they would be pressing charges after the incident happened.
Dirrell's uncle, Leon Lawson, who punched Uzcategui after the fight was over, is wanted by cops and they dont know where he is.
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) May 21, 2017
The late punch in question can be seen (and heard) in this video, as you will hear the bell sound in the middle of a flurry to end the eighth round with the final left hook coming just after the bell, sending Dirrell down.
Super Middleweight José Uzcátegui drops @andredirrell after the bell. Uzcátegui get disqualified by the referee. pic.twitter.com/8nWVlb3aGw
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 21, 2017
When Dirrell was unable to get back up, the fight was ended by disqualification. It’s the second time Dirrell has won a title by way of a disqualification, and this time there is plenty of controversy surrounding it. Uzcategui told reporters after the round that he felt Dirrell went down too easy from that flurry and claimed he quit by not getting back up.
“I was throwing a three-punch combination and I didn’t hear the bell,” Uzcategui said. “I didn’t mean to hit him. The third punch wasn’t that hard of a punch. I was surprised he stayed down. He did the same thing against Abraham that he did against me tonight. He quit against me and he quit against him. I deserve to be the winner.”
For an undercard bout for an interim title, Dirrell-Uzcategui turned out to be one of the wildest bouts of the year because of what happened at the bell to end the eighth round and after the fight ended.
(Via ESPN)
