Amateur Boxing Champion Demetrius Andrade Going For Olympic Gold

Reigning AIBA world welterweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade is prospecting for gold in China. The 20 year old from Providence, RI isn’t there to visit the The Great Wall, purchase a Ming vase in the Temple of Heaven, picnic in Tian’anmen Square, or cruise down the Yangtze River.

Andrade is Team USA’s most promising hope to medal in the Olympic boxing competition. “It’s crazy,” he said right before leaving Colorado Springs training camp, “but everything’s good. I’m relaxed, stayed out of the public eye, and have remained focused on winning a gold medal. I’m not happy just being in The Olympics, or even winning a silver or bronze medal; I’m going for Gold.”

His gold medal performance at this year’s AIBA World Championships catapulted him into the No. 1 ranking in the world at 152 pounds. Andrade’s toughest competition figures to come from Asian champion Bakhyt Sarsekbayev of Kazakhstan, World Championships silver medalist Non Boonjumnong of Thailand, as well as bronze medalists Adem Kilicci of Turkey and Hmati Silamu of China, European champion Andrey Balnov of Russia, and of course, Cuba’s representative, Carlos Banteur.

The Olympic draw doesn’t matter to him because Demetrious believes he’s the best 152 pound amateur in the world. He defeated Boonjumnong and Kilicci in the World Championships.

“Nobody they put in front of me can beat me,” a confident Andrade offered. “Only the judges can beat me and I’m not going to let them. I’m going to take the other fighters and judges out of it by beating my opponents so badly that they can’t take a decision away from me. I’ll stay on the outside, use my tough defense, and not allow any cheap shots. I’ve been fighting internationally for awhile and I’ve been robbed a few times. But I can’t let anybody beat me in the Olympics.

“I’d prefer to get the tougher guys out early – second or third round – and have one less contender for the medal rounds. I really don’t know or care who I draw. Everybody else is fighting for second place.”

Proud to represent the red, white and blue, “Boo Boo” has dreamed about boxing in the Olympics since he first laced-up a pair of gloves. He is a two-time US National Championships winner and double National Golden Gloves champion who cruised through the US Boxing Trials preceding the World Championships.

“It feels good to be called an ambassador,” Andrade reflected. “I used to be a little kid dreaming of being in the Olympics and now I’m talking to kids with the same dream. I tell them to never let anybody say no to their dreams. It feels great to represent the United States, Rhode Island, Providence, family and friends.

“I haven’t worried about anything. Inside the ring is another environment with just you and your opponent. I’ve been focusing on the physical part of boxing. My (co-coaches) dad (Paul Andrade) and Dave Keefe have helped me all of the other stuff.

Impacted wisdom teeth and the best amateur boxers in the world couldn’t stop Demetrius at the World Championships. Now, he’s digging deep for gold in China.

Andrade boxes out of the 401 Boxing Club in Cranston, RI. Go on line to www.boobooboxing.com for more information about Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade.