By Mark Vester

Ken Hershman, the general manager of Showtime Sports, has announced that Andre Dirrell has withdrawn from the Super Six Boxing Classic with an injury. The nature of the injury was not disclosed. Hershman said WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward will still fight on November 27 against a replacement opponent.

Dirrell comes on the heels of WBC champion Mikkel Kessler pulling out with an eye injury and being replaced in the tournament by Glen Johnson, who faces Allan Green in the third stage of the Super Six on November 6 in Las Vegas. Green had replaced Jermain Taylor who withdrew after the first stage of the tournament.

There are many who believed all along that Dirrell and Ward, because they are close friends, would never fight each other. When asked for his opinion on the matter, Hershman said "that's not my job" in terms of pursuing whether or not the injury is legit.

"We have a few options on the table" said Hershman, when asked if there is a replacement in mind.

Hershman said there is a chance that the upcoming fight involving Ward could be held "outside of the tournament" because Ward has 4 points in the tournament and advances to the semi-finals, win or lose, based on his score tally. Ward's next fight will likely take place at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, where his last two bouts have taken place. Ironic since there was a big dispute between the Ward and Dirrell camps over the venue location.

Hershman said "the Super Six will continue and the semi-finals will happen next year."