Andre Dirrell Batters, Bloodies Yunieski Gonzalez Before Scoring 10th-Round TKO

MINNEAPOLIS – Andre Dirrell delivered an entertaining performance and a stoppage Saturday night before the 39-year-old light heavyweight leaned on the ropes and screamed a message in its immediate aftermath.

Just seconds after the former IBF interim super middleweight champion stopped courageous Cuban Yunieski Gonzalez halfway through the 10th and final round, Dirrell yelled, “Give me some f***ing fights!” Dirrell hadn’t fought in 15 months before he overcame a shaky start against the hard-hitting Gonzalez and showed that the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist still has plenty of fight left in him 17½ years after he made his pro debut.

Referee Dave Smith stopped the action 1:30 into the 10th round, with a bloodied, battered Gonzalez still standing. Dirrell’s victory was part of the David Morrell Jr.-Aidos Yerbossynuly undercard at The Armory.

Dirrell (29-3, 19 KOs), a skillful, strong southpaw from Flint, Michigan, became the third opponent to beat Gonzalez (21-5, 17 KOs) by technical knockout. Former WBC light heavyweight champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk and ex-WBO super middleweight champ Gilberto Ramirez stopped Gonzalez in previous fights.

Before Saturday night, Dirrell hadn’t boxed since he stopped Christopher Brooker in the third round of a July 2021 bout at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Gonzalez halted a lengthy layoff of his own. His last bout before Saturday night took place last December 18, when Ramirez beat him by 10th-round TKO at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Dirrell was determined to get a stoppage in the 10th and final round Saturday night. He attacked a fast-fading Gonzalez early in that round and landed enough flush punches for Smith to step between them to prevent Gonzalez from taking even more punishment.

Dirrell hammered Gonzalez, who was backed against the ropes, with power punches in the final 30 seconds of the ninth round. Gonzalez stumbled when the bell sounded to end the ninth round, which oddly caused referee Dave Smith to give him a standing eight count

Gonzalez backed Dirrell into the ropes and unloaded punches, many of which Dirrell blocked or slipped with just under a minute on the clock in the ninth round.

Dirrell clipped Gonzalez with a left uppercut just before the eighth round ended. About 45 seconds earlier, Dirrell’s right hook knocked Gonzalez off balance and moved him into the ropes.

Dirrell nailed Gonzalez with a left hand that made Gonzalez stumble 1:15 into the seventh round. Another left hand by Dirrell moved Gonzalez backward later in the seventh round.

About 45 seconds into the sixth round, Dirrell drilled Gonzalez with a right uppercut. Gonzalez came right back with a straight right that backed up Dirrell.

Dirrell’s hard left to Gonzalez’s body made Gonzalez hold him 15 seconds into the sixth round.

A left uppercut by Dirrell stunned Gonzalez and backed him into the ropes with just under 20 seconds remaining in the fifth round. He pressed…