Andrade Wants but Won’t Chase Canelo
In many ways, life must be very bitter-sweet for WBO world middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (29-0, 18 KO’s). In terms of the sweet side, Andrade is openly regarded as one of the most talented athletes in the sport. He is a belt-holding, two-division champion with a lucrative promotional deal that guarantees him good money each time he steps in the ring.
On the negative side however, the truly big marquee fights that Andrade has sought have evaded him for years. Without doubt, his most elusive targeted opponent is WBA world middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KO’s). Over the past several years, Boo Boo has fruitlessly pursued a showdown with Alvarez over two divisions.
WHY NOT ME?!
In fact, Andrade has chased a fight with the redheaded Mexican icon for so long that he has lost his ability to call him out with any gusto. Sure, he still wants the fight. And if the opportunity presented itself, he would jump on this with lightning speed. Yet, it’s simply not a match he is willing to put much energy into, as he explained to AB Boxing News.
“I can name Rocky Fielding, what the fuck did Rocky Fielding do to get that fight? Okay Krusher, Kovalev is a high end guy whatever, whatever on his way out. Okay, Canelo got that whoop-de-doo, would Canelo have fought him four or five years ago?
So you know what I mean? I don’t like to play that game because that’s a game that we’ve been playing all his career and a good percentage of my career. Like I don’t fight nobody, I don’t fight nobody, but the people that I’m trying to fight don’t want to fight me and I am fighting whoever they put in front of me.”
FEARFUL FOLLICLES?
Obviously, having sought a single opponent for so long has successfully jaded Andrade a bit. Along with refusing to extend much effort in calling Alvarez out, Boo Boo has come to think that perhaps Canelo’s red hued hair is playing a role in the fight not becoming a reality.
“There is a difference between redhead Mexicans and blackhead Mexicans, I heard there’s a difference. You know the difference? I don’t know, Mikey Garcia, Jessie Vargas, their hair is black, right? Them some tough mothafuckas and they get in there with some tough mothafuckas. I don’t know, Canelo man, I heard them redhead’s are a little soft!”
READY, WILLING AND BEEN WAITING
Yet, when all jokes are put to the side, Andrade would love to face Canelo and prove to the world that all the hype and accolades attributed to his name are legitimate.
“I’m hungry, I’m a fighter, I’m trying to fight Canelo. If we’re talking here, we’re talking about Canelo. It’s like you signed a great deal, what are you losing?!”
However, Andrade’s willingness to lock horns with Alvarez has never been in question. The real inquiry is has Canelo developed any desire to test his skills against Andrade? At the moment though, it appears this is simply not a prizefight that we will ever see.
By: Bakari Simpson
