Undefeated former light middleweight champion, Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade is ready to reclaim what he never lost in the ring, a world championship belt. Andrade was stripped of the WBO title when promotional issues caused him to be inactive for over a year, but now coming off an impressive knockout win over Willie Nelson, Andrade has positioned to get another shot at the title.
I recently had a chance to speak with Demetrius Andrade and I got his thoughts on his most recent win over Willie Nelson. Andrade also spoke on the 154lb division and some of the match ups that he would be interested in. Additionally Demetrius spoke on Canelo’s decision to vacate his middleweight title, if he is still whats to take Mayweather’s 0 and how he thinks he would do with Manny Pacquiao. Here is what Demetrius Andrade had to say.
Robert Brown: You had a spectacular victory over Willie Nelson, what were your thoughts on the fight?
Demetrius Andrade: I gave myself and A+, I definitely did everything that I needed to do and wanted to do. I also gave the fans an unexpected performance.
Robert Brown: How were you able to put up a performance like that having had only one fight in the last couple of years?
Demetrius Andrade: I’ve been working on my craft, working on the areas that needed to be developed a little more than others. That’s what I was working on and I dedicated myself and my time to that and I knew one day that the door would open and an opportunity would come. When the opportunity comes, I’m going to be in the best shape mentally and physically to get the job done.
Robert Brown: You knocked Willie down in the second down with a right hook. Was that punch something you’ve been working on?
Demetrius Andrade: No, I’ve always had a bunch of tools in my arsenal and it’s all about the type of fighter and the type of style so I can actually use them. Developing the power was the thing we worked on the most so that when I needed to bring out certain tools, I would be able to use them.
That right hook was something we were paying attention to because he’s a tall guy and that’s his favorite punch, so I was using my ability, my skills and my IQ to counter off his hook to throw mine. It worked for us beautifully.
Robert Brown: Did you see something in Willie that made you think you could hit him with the right hand uppercut consistently?
Demetrius Andrade: Yeah definitely. I think one of my best punches are my uppercuts and my dad wants me to use them more often but I don’t really like to bring them out unless I really need to or I see the punches. This is just something that we always had and for a tall guy that’s going to sit there and stand still and try to come in, it’s going to work perfect for them.
Robert Brown: The 154lb division is a stacked division, who would you like to fight next?
Demetrius Andrade: I would like to fight Canelo, that would be a fight I would like to get next, but that’s probably not going to happen. I would like to fight for the WBO belt and get that belt back to unify the WBC and the WBO against Jermell Charlo, or Jermall, whichever one.
Robert Brown: You were supposed to fight Charlo a few years ago but negotiations broke down. Do you think Charlo will fight you?
Demetrius Andrade: With all the shit he was talking back then, if he don’t step up to the plate, he’s definitely a donkey.
Robert Brown: If you fought Charlo, are you confident you would knock him out?
Demetrius Andrade: Oh yeah.
Robert Brown: What are your thoughts on Canelo vacating his middleweight belt and not fighting Gennady Golovkin? Do you think that was Canelo’s decision or Oscar De La Hoya’s decision?
Demetrius Andrade: At the end of the day I think that’s a decision they both made because he’s really not a 160lb fighter. For him to go up to 160lbs right now and fight a dangerous guy, I don’t see the point. Canelo is the cash cow and any person you put in front of him, he’s going to bring people to the seats.
What he really needs to do is stop fighting blown up welterweights and get in there with some real light middleweights to see what he’s all about. He doesn’t have to go up to 160lbs to fight a guy when you got guys like Demetrious Andrade out there that can put his skill and will to the test to see if he is the best.
Robert Brown: If you got in the ring with Canelo, are you confident you could beat him?
Demetrius Andrade: Yeah I’d knock him out. I’m going to stop him.
Robert Brown: What are your thoughts on a fight that’s been announced in the light heavyweight division between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward?
Demetrius Andrade: I believe that Kovalev when he fought Jean Pascal, Pascal was a short guy that throws a lot of arm punches. He caught Kovalev with some shots, so that kind of worries me when you’re putting up someone like Andre Ward that knows how to be a bully inside and be slick and also land shots.
Kovalev is a strong guy but his defense isn’t as good as Andre Ward’s. I think defense wins that fight and I think if Andre Ward is in great shape physically and mentally, he can definitely win that fight because Kovalev’s defense isn’t as great.
Robert Brown: In the past you told me you didn’t want to fight Floyd Mayweather because you didn’t want to be the one to give him his first loss. Have you changed your mind on that?
Demetrius Andrade: No, I’m definitely sticking to that same thing. I think Floyd should sit back, relax and enjoy his thing, but if he does want to get that 49-1, he can definitely get in there with Demetrious Andrade. I don’t see anybody else beating him.
Robert Brown: If Floyd came back and decided to fight you, do you believe you have the boxing skills to beat Floyd?
Demetrius Andrade: Oh yeah.
Robert Brown: What about Manny Pacquiao, would you fight him?
Demetrius Andrade: Oh yeah, I would definitely get in there with Pacquiao. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great fighter but my skill level, my abilities and the tools that I can use would definitely give him a hard time because he just comes in bouncing in. I would put that jab on him.
Robert Brown: Would you knock Pacquiao out?
Demetrius Andrade: It’s a possibility with the way he jumps in throwing those punches, I’d definitely land some shots, my accuracy is on point.
Great future very confident fighter .