For Dirrell Brothers, Boxing Remains A Family Affair

By Jake Donovan

Anthony Dirrell was able to realize his lifelong dream of winning a major title after wresting a super middleweight belt from Sakio Bika in their rematch last August. The moment came just two weeks after his older brother Andre returned to the ring following an 18-month hiatus.

The super middleweight siblings from Flint, Michigan once again find themselves competing relatively close to one another. Andre guns for his second attempt at a major belt when he faces James 'Chunky' DeGale on May 23 in Boston. By then, the results will have come in for Anthony's showdown with Badou Jack, which takes place this weekend at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois.

Dirrell-DeGale will air live on NBC, while the younger Dirrell puts his unbeaten record and title on the line in the headlining act on Spike TV, both events part of the Premier Boxing Champions series. Wins by both will put them on the short list of boxing brothers who've simultaneously reigned as champion.

"It'll be great, it's something we've dreamed of our entire careers," notes the younger Dirrell (27-0, 22KOs), who makes his first title defense this Friday. "It will be a great celebration in our family should that day come." 

Andre was the first of the two to challenge for a world title, coming up just short versus Carl Froch on the road in Nottingham, England. The bout marks the lone loss in the Dirrell family since entering the pro ranks on the same card in Jan. '05 following their tour on the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team that competed in Athens, Greece. 

It matters less to the brothers as to whom is viewed as the better pro fighter, who first won a belt or anything else that can be viewed as sibling rivalry. One's success is the other's celebration, while both share each other's pain in the event of any setbacks endured. 

What doesn't take place is competition or jealousy on any level between the two. Andre managed to capture a Bronze medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Anthony was forced to conquer a battle with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and bounce back from a motorcycle crash to become the first in the family to capture a major title. 

Even if Andre follows suit, don't expect an in-ring family feud anytime soon - or ever. 

"It equals out for us, and we never try to outdo each other," Dirrell insists. "Even when it comes to sparring, it depends on who we are fighting. If we can help each other prepare for an opponent, we'll jump in and spar with each other, but it doesn't go beyond that. It's not competitive. We don't compete against each other on any level. We're brothers; we're blood." 

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox