GERMAN BOXER ABRAHAM GETS TO KNOW DETROIT PRIOR TO FIGHT
BY MIKE BRUDENELL
Detroit Free Press
March 23 2010
MI
King Arthur Abraham, who fights Andre Dirrell of Flint at Joe Louis
Arena on Saturday night, hasn’t taken long to find his feet since
arriving from Germany over the weekend.
Abraham, an Armenian-German who lives in Berlin, has done roadwork
on Belle Isle, visited the Joe Louis statue at Cobo Hall and found
himself a maize-and-blue Michigan T-shirt.
He even favors the Michigan football team, he says, which might not
sit well with Spartans fans at his Showtime Super Six World Boxing
Classic super-middleweight bout at the Joe.
Through an interpreter, Abraham (31-0, 25 knockouts), who once fought
and won with a shattered jaw, said Monday he followed soccer at home
but admired U-M as a football program.
"Everybody in Germany knows the University of Michigan," said Abraham,
making his first visit to Detroit. "It is big and famous. Yes, I know
a little, too, about the football team. I like American football. If
there are Michigan State fans at my bout, would they please remember,
I fight Andre, not them."
Abraham is in town a bit early to watch U-M play, but he will be at
the Red Wings-St. Louis Blues game with Dirrell, 26, the former U.S.
Olympic bronze medalist, on Wednesday.
"I enjoy many sports," Abraham said. "Hockey is very tough."
He would make a good defensive back or winger. He’s strong, quick and
fearless at 165-170 pounds. On Sept. 23, 2006, he won a decision over
Edison Miranda of Colombia despite having his jaw broken in two places.
"I couldn’t KO him, but I finished the fight," said Abraham, 31, of
his first meeting against Miranda, when he retained his International
Boxing Federation middleweight title. "I felt proud as a man that I
was able to defy the pain."
In a return bout in 2008, Abraham won by TKO.
On Wednesday, Abraham will work out at the Kronk Gym on Warren in
Detroit. Dirrell (18-1, 13 KOs) will be on hand.
"Of course, the Kronk has made some great fighters," Abraham said.
"Thomas Hearns is a legend — one of the best in history. I have met
Emanuel Steward a couple of times. It will be great to see him again
in person."
Abraham is also aware that Dirrell, who trained with his younger
brother, Anthony, as a youngster at Kronk, will have a huge home-crowd
advantage at the Joe.
"That does not matter," he said. "In the ring, it is just the two of
us — Andre and me. I focus on Andre."
In his first fight of the Super Six tournament, Abraham knocked out
American Jermain Taylor in the 12th round in October. Dirrell lost
his opening bout to Carl Froch on a split decision.
"I was happy with my victory over Taylor, but I think I can improve
against Andre," Abraham said. "I can get a little better."
Abraham lives with his parents in Berlin, returning to Armenia several
times a year to visit the grave of his grandfather and leave his
grandmother a special present — flowers.
"I have had 31 fights," said Abraham. "I give my grandmother 31
flowers."