Photo by AP Photo/Eric Gay
If you’re wondering where the WBO Junior Middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (21-0-0, 14 KOs) has been, he’s where he’s supposed to be, in the gym.
“I’ve been in the gym maintaining my conditioning, keeping in shape and keeping sharp. We’re waiting for a date, we want to get back in the ring possibly March 28. There might be a fight card for me then, or they might push it back into April.”
If your ears perked up, that’s because March 28 is the date being talked about for a potential Lucas Matthysse vs. Ruslan Provodnikov fight, a highly desired, potential blood bath, that boxing fans are drooling over.
Andrade made the first defense of his 154-pound title against Englishman Brian Rose on the Provodnikov vs. Chris Algieri card back in June 2014.
There’s no doubt that Andrade in the co-main event would certainly further enrich the possible Matthysse-Provodnikov event.
The former 2008 Olympian and current title holder won his belt in impressive fashion over Vanes Martirosyan back in November 2013, now he’s looking forward to a productive 2015,
“I’m coming to take heads off this year, I ain’t playing this game anymore. I’ve always been mean, I’ve always been hungry and I’ve got the tunnel vision.”
When we asked him about possible opponents, and if he’s still interested in fighting Jermell Charlo, he wasn’t hesitant to open up,
“Yeah, I definitely want to make that fight happen. At first I didn’t want to make that fight because I felt he wasn’t worthy of a shot at my title. He hasn’t really fought anybody and he’s still on the come up. After my win over Brian Rose I was looking for a big fight with a Canelo [Alvarez], or James Kirkland or like a [Erislandy] Lara, somebody who could really catapult me to the next level. The problem is there’s nobody else out there really quoting my name, and I can’t just be sitting around.”
Andrade was on track to fight Charlo back on December 2014 on the Amir Khan vs. Devon Alexander undercard. The fight fell apart due to money issues and complications with Banner Promotions.
“It was complications with my contract, with what my minimum is and what they were trying to give me, my minimum wasn’t being seen. I don’t blame them though, it’s the network who wasn’t coming out of pocket.”
By the time Andrade steps back into the ring it will be nearly a year since his last fight, but he’s not worried about ring rust, and feels confident in a fight with Charlo,
“Honestly I see him as another Brian Rose, there’s nothing that he does that can overcome me, and what I do. I’m not worried about that fight, man. I’m confident in myself, I’ve been doing this a long time.”
Another name Andrade was eager to throw out was the highly-skilled Cuban boxer Lara. Lara bounced back from a controversial decision loss to Canelo Alvarez in July to beat journeyman Ishe Smith on a ShoBox card back in December 2014.
Andrade wasn’t impressed with Lara’s win over Smith, saying he went 12 rounds with an opponent who’s at the end of his career, and that Smith was able to get shots off on Lara throughout the fight.
“I want to wipe out the Ronnie Shields team, I got a win over Vanes, now I want Lara, that’s who’s on my radar right now. Unfortunately I can’t get a Canelo fight, he chose to fight James Kirkland instead of fight for a belt, so Lara’s the next guy in line.”
You could feel the tension in Andrade’s voice when talking about Lara, who defeated Andrade back in the amateurs in a fight that Andrade thought he had won.
“Your boy knows, Lara knows what the deal is, I beat him and I do have that fight on tape. He tells people he beat me in the amateurs,” said Andrade.
At the end of the interview, Andrade had one last message for boxing fans who want to see “Boo Boo” in 2015.
“Stay tuned, keep supporting me, keep my name out there, and let them know that Demetrius Andrade is here to fight, he wants to fight. People might be out there trying to blind side me and don’t want people to know about me, because I’m the kind of guy who can beat YOUR favorite fighter. I’m here.”
Header photo by Ed Mulholland
