Demetrius Andrade understands the business and legacy implications behind Canelo vs Kovalev!
It’s no secret that WBO middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo-Boo” Andrade (28-0, 17 KO’s) wants a fight with WBA champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KO’s). He has chased that fight with more consistence than Pepe LePue chased that cat around the entire Loony Tunes universe.
Andrade has attempted to secure the contest across weight divisions as a challenger and even as the champion. Regardless of the situation, he has remained fruitless in obtaining this scrap.
This is why it was somewhat surprising that he did not take the opportunity to trash Alvarez’s upcoming prizefight with Sergey “The Krusher” Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KO’s). In order to make Alvarez v Kovalev a reality, Canelo is leaping up two weight divisions to light heavyweight.
There, he will challenge the Russian power-puncher for his WBO light heavyweight title. If victorious in this venture, Alvarez will become a 4-division world champion.
There is a mixed perspective on the upcoming prizefight. Some regard the Krusher as an aging, but still dangerous fighter. Others see it as a clever cherry-pick masquerading as a marquee match-up. These crowds prefer that Canelo remain in his own middleweight division to fight the remaining two champions.
Whilst conducting an interview with Fight Hype, Boo-Boo’s commentary reflected a bit of both sentiments. On the one hand he understood that Canelo was chasing history. Yet, he also acknowledged that there were far more dangerous boxers lurking in his own division.
“Listen, he’s looking to become a hall of famer. He wants to be 4-division world champ. There is nothing wrong with him taking that route if that’s what he wants to do. As far as fighting the peak guys at their time and their prime like me, that’s what we want to see.
“You know, like I said before, I can’t remember everybody but he fought Cotto on his way out, Mosley on his way out, you know what I’m saying? Now he wants to fight the Krusher on his way out.
“But listen the Krusher is still a bad boy though, you know what I’m saying? The Krusher ain’t no push-over. You know, I’d be surprised if he don’t like hurt Canelo, you know?
“I mean is it a risky fight? Yeah, it still is but like I said before, I mean, it is whatever it is with Canelo. When he really wants to get his ass whipped he will come down to 160, grow his cajones and be like, ready!”
Andrade is a taller, capable southpaw who fighters have never lined up to do battle with. The undefeated pugilist is hopeful that he can sign a significant fight soon. Although, if not, he has his plan-B.
Provided no one in the middleweight division of note is willing to fight him, Andrade is willing to move up to super middleweight territory. If that turns out to be the case, Boo-Boo would openly be looking to secure a prizefight with WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe “Superb” Saunders (28-0, 13 KO’s).
“If I can’t get anybody in my weight class next year because everybody’s tied up and already fighting, I would go up to 168 to fight Billy Joe Saunders. And then I would become a 3-time world champion.”
Previously, the two were set to fight in the fourth quarter of 2018. The two teams even got so far as to do a few official press events to promote the bout. Unfortunately, VADA would flag Saunders for an adverse drug finding.
He would argue that the substance in question was from a nasal spray and that the interacting elements were cleared in the UK where he was training. Nevertheless, the fight would ultimately fall from the calendar.
Only time will tell what comes next for Andrade, yet we can only hope that he pens a prizefight with a significant name soon.
By: Bakari Simpson
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