Though he has his own next fight to focus on – on June 29th in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island – reigning WBO middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade will be a very interested spectator on Saturday night, as Canelo Alvarez and Danny Jacobs, both potential big-fight opponents for Andrade, fight in Las Vegas.
Between them, Canelo and Jacobs hold all the major 160 pound belts save for Andrade’s, and the WBO champ is hoping to face the winner as soon as he can. First, in his second title defence, Andrade will face tough Polish warrior Maciej Sulecki, 28-1(11), and the southpaw says he will not be underestimating his challenger. Sulecki, beaten only by Jacobs, against whom the 30 year old had a great action fight that went all 12 rounds, will be coming to take Andrade’s belt.
But assuming he does hold onto his strap, 31 year old Andrade has big plans:
“After Saturday night, there will be one guy with three of the belts, and I got the fourth,” Andrade, 27-0(17) said to ESPN.com. “Both guys (Canelo and Jacobs) have been very vocal about wanting to unify after this fight, so let’s make it happen. We all feel that we are the best in the division, and there is only one way to find that out. I wish both Canelo and Danny the best on Saturday night, but they better know I’m there watching with a purpose.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn says that if Canelo wins tomorrow night, he will be “pushing” for a big, four-belt unification clash between the Mexican star and Andrade. Hearn recognises how a third fight between Canelo and Gennady Golovkin would be a bigger fight, but he says there is no reason we cannot have an undisputed world middleweight champion.
So, as Andrade says, he is the link to the undisputed title. GGG may even look to fight Andrade himself, so as to get back on top with a win that would see him hold the one belt he was never previously able to get his hands on. As long as he stays unbeaten and keeps that WBO title, Andrade will be a fighter with a number of potential big options.