Does Dirrell wanna be in the tournament? If both guys are good to go I say let em in cuz both are deserving & worthy of being in it. I'd think they should be able to find some way to make it work even if they gotta put off their fight or not have their fight at all.
Supposedly the abc groups are in support of this series from my understanding & will work around things for it so that shouldn't be a problem.
Here you are man, 39:20 is where he talks about it, let you hear for yourself. His interviews are good always lets it all out, Stephen Smith v Jezreel Corrales and Jorge Linares v Argenis Mendez close to being made, forum will love those fights, lol
The fighters pick there own first round opponent so unless Dirrell or Smith is the number 1 seed idk how they can insure that fight takes place in the first round and be true to the format of this tournament.
I'm also not sure how the purse bid winning promoter situation with that fight sits with WBSS promoting the fights for this tournament. When I heard that fight got made for September I just kinda assumed neither guy would be in the tournament cuz the timing of everything doesn't line up very well. These f#cking guys shoulda been fighting in June or July any damn way and with the winner getting in the WBSS in Sept/Oct for his first fight.
Yeah this is what Hearns said, Smith wants to enter it, but wont be able to if they don't allow it to be part of the comp. Both sides are trying to get it entered into the competition, said its the reason for the fight not being finalised yet, and will be pushed back a few weeks if they do allow it.
Hearns said Degales not entering through injury, and theyre trying to get Dirrell/Smith put in as a first rounder, have the WBA on one side of the draw and WBC on the other, final becomes the unification.