The co-main event will feature undefeated WBO junior middleweight champion DEMETRIUS “Boo Boo” ANDRADE making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender and mandatory challenger BRIAN “The Lion” ROSE.
These four gladiators boast a combined record of 87-3-1 (44 KOs)– a 96 percent winning percentage, with more than half of their total victories coming by way of knockout.
Brian ‘the lion’ Rose will finally see his dream of challenging for a world title come true this summer when he travels to America to oppose reigning WBO light-middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade, live on Sky Sports and HBO.
In his last outing Blackpool’s Rose defeated Javier Maciel in a thrilling contest that served as a final eliminator for Andrade’s strap. In December 2012 he won the Lonsdale belt outright by winning a unanimous decision over Sam Webb; four months later, in the same venue, he stepped up onto the world stage to face Joachim Alcine for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title, stopping him in the final round.
After 18 years honing your craft, countless hours spent in the gym, and a childhood filled with sacrifice explain to your fans how it felt to be crowned world champion when you defeated Vanes Martirosyan at the end of 2013?
I knew when I was young that my sacrifice would pay off in the long run. I knew that if I worked not only hard but smart that I would be where I am today as world champion.But my dreams and goals go much farther than this. Winning my first title in the pro’s back in November was a great feeling. There are no words to explain what I felt in my heart. It was very special for me to do it with the team I put together and my father as head trainer, the man Paul Andrade.
After impressively knocking out formerly undefeated Junior Middleweight Glen Tapia this past Saturday night on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, could James Kirkland (32-1, 28 KOs) be looking at an immediate title opportunity in 2014?
Current WBO 154 pound title holder Demetrius Andrade (20-0, 13 KOs) could be making his first defense against the Austin, Texas native according to the former Olympian’s co-promoter, Artie Pellulo of Banner Promotions.
“Yesterday I left a message for 50 Cent, Kirkland’s promoter, and offered them the opportunity to face Demetrius Andrade for his WBO Junior Middleweight title,” insists the twenty-five year fight promoter. “Demetrius has to defend his title against the WBO’s mandatory challenger, but I believe I can make this voluntary defense against James Kirkland first.”
Hannali R. (Reseda, CA): I thought Nonito Donaire proved that he still belongs at the top of the sport with his victory over Darchinyan. How did you rate his performance? And what do you think about Rigondeaux’s bizarre request to stage a rematch in Miami?
Vivek W. (ESB): To be quite frank, I see this purely the opposite of anyone who feels this effort either “places him” or “keeps him” at the top of the sport. What I saw in Donaire was a talent who appeared totally unsure of himself, and very limited – in terms of self confidence. I’m a long time proponent of pure fundamental skills, and although I’d stop short of calling Donaire a “hype job”, when I think of the accolades received that labeled him “Fighter of the Year” and beyond, I’d be the first to say he never really had the level of talent to support such claims. Donaire’s speed and power alone made him a phenom. Beyond those two attributes, he has very little left in the tool kit and we were reminded of this again, last Saturday night.
If anyone asked the newly crowned WBO Junior Middleweight Champion how he envisioned the opening stanza of his first major title opportunity playing out prior to Saturday night‘s match-up with Vanes Martirosyan, “getting floored” would have been the furthest scenario from the former Olympian’s mind.
Although no fighter wants to overcome the adversity of getting caught by a sneaky left hand in the first round, it was the best thing that could have happened to the crafty southpaw.
In the outset of the highly anticipated contest, the fighter more affectionately known as “Boo Boo” seemed to be loading up on shots, while throwing just one punch at a time. After falling out of position while anxiously trying to land hard leather on Martirosyan’s chin, the Armenian-born fighter countered with a perfectly timed left hand that dropped Andrade.
“He caught me early, but I stayed focused,” admitted the 25 year old title holder. “I started using the jab from that point forward and began to pick him apart.”
Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (19-0, 13KOs), the 2008 U.S. Olympian and one of the most decorated American amateur pugilists, will get his long awaited opportunity at a world title after several delays and opponent changes, when he takes on the former 2004 Olympian, Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan (33-0-1, 21KOs) on November 9th in Corpus Christi, Texas, for the vacant World Boxing Organization`s (“WBO”) Junior Middleweight Championship.
Andrade was supposed to fight former WBO champion, Zaurbek Baysangurov last July; however, the Russian pulled out of the bout due to an injury, causing him to be stripped of his belt, leaving the title vacant for the two top rated WBO 154 pounders, respectively, Andrade and Martirosyan.
By Bill Phanco: Unbeaten junior middleweight Demetrius Andrade (19-0, 13 KO’s) kept his perfect record intact with a lopsided 10 round unanimous decision win over Freddy Hernandez (30-4, 20 KO’s) on Friday night at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, New York. Hernandez was down in the 6th, and hurt on number of occasions by big shots from Andrade. The judges’ scores were 100-89, 100-89 and 100-89.
It was a fine performance from Andrade, #3 IBF, #3 WBO, #8 WBC, #13 WBA,. He showed good power at times and nice hand speed. He didn’t have much to worry about in this fight because Hernandez was way out of his league and he didn’t have a lot of power.
Andrade knocked Hernandez to the canvas in the 6th round with a right hand to the head, and he also had Hernandez hurt in the 9th after nailing him with a right uppercut. Hernandez showed a good chin to make it the full 12 considering it looked like the fight was on the verge of being stopped in the 9th when Andrade was unloading on Hernandez with everything but the kitchens sink.