Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Demetrius Andrade can't afford a slip en route to possible GGG or Canelo matchup
Two of the 10 boxers who are in the Yahoo Sports pound-for-pound list are middleweights, but it’s not a stretch to say that the best 160-pounder in the world is all but unknown to the casual fans.
Demetrius Andrade is the WBO champion, and defends his belt on Saturday against Maciej Sulecki in the main event of a card (9 p.m. ET, DAZN) at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
And while you never hear his name being spoken by No. 4 Canelo Alvarez or No. 7 Gennadiy Golovkin — or Jermall Charlo or Daniel Jacobs or Rob Brant or any other elite middleweight, for that matter — you can be sure they well know his name.
Andrade is one of those guys who the elite opponents love to avoid, if possible. He’s smart and tricky in the ring, an accurate puncher and frustrating because he’s so difficult to hit.
Because he’s not a big name, there isn’t a lot of reward beyond the belt that comes with beating him, but the risk is great because he is good enough that it’s hardly out of the question that he could beat the top guys.
He hasn’t beaten a lot of notable opponents, but that’s largely because they aren’t that interested in him.
It’s been frustrating for Andrade, a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing team, but he’s optimistic that better days are ahead.
“The boxing world knows that I am the baddest wolf out there because if I [weren’t], I would have faced Canelo and GGG already and would’ve taken my loss like a man and they would have captured my WBO title at two different weight classes,” Andrade said. “So that goes to show that I have control over myself and was right to have faith that I’m doing the right thing, so don't give up as my time will come. You’re not going to just keep digging and digging and then just stop without knowing that that next dig is for all the diamonds.”
That remains to be seen. The good news for Andrade is that he, like Alvarez and Golovkin, has a contract with DAZN. The bad news is that because of their name recognition and because of the massive amount of money the streaming service invested in them, DAZN is pushing to make Alvarez-Golovkin III next.
So Andrade has decided to talk to make his case, and his best argument is a dubious one. He’s claiming he’s faced better opposition than either Alvarez or Golovkin.
Now, while Golovkin hasn’t faced a long list of A-level fighters, it’s because he, too, has been ducked on the way up. But Alvarez has fought anybody and everybody, including Golovkin twice, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto and a long list of other elite guys.
But Andrade, in a bid to bring attention to himself, is pushing the narrative that essentially, Alvarez and Golovkin have been propped up by favorable matchmaking.
“Unlike GGG, who just boxed Steve Rolls who was ranked about 81 in the world, I’m fighting real guys,” Andrade said. “We are fighting tough guys to get it on whereas Canelo and GGG have been cherry-picking. They can do that with the profile they have. It’s just business. I’m not upset about it because my time will come when I walk in with one belt and walk out with four.”
Until he gets one of those elite fighters in the ring, he’ll always be somewhat of a mystery. And while Sulecki isn’t expected to pose much of a threat, he is no walkover.
https://s.yimg.com/it/api/res/1.2/wt...f-cb6e2f382d26
Andrade clearly can’t afford a slip.
“Everyone has their own opinion about any fighter, I won't know [how good Sulecki is] until I get in there,” Andrade said. “I am no fool. I know that I have to be on my game and not think about his other fights because everyone is different. [Jack] Culcay did a great job against him, put him down. [Gabe] Rosado put him down, so they got to him by accumulating punches and letting their hands go. But that's them, not me, I have a different IQ to them.”
If that IQ leads to a victory, he may get his wish in September if DAZN can’t convince Alvarez to hook up with Golovkin yet again. Until such time, though, Andrade can proudly inherit the not-so-coveted title of the most avoided man in boxing.
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/dem...195227253.html
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Parker v leapai on the undercard
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Love how all the “most avoided” people chose themselves to avoid big opportunities. GGG avoided the Ward option, smart, Andrade gave up his belt to not fight Charlo(and now Alvarez did too, and GGG said repeatedly he would never fight Charlo, take on all comers guy that GGG) Whyte could have fought Wilder but he avoided the eliminator 3 times. Strange that those that play victim can point directly to the reason if they choose, and the reason is of their own doing. Or they can continue playing victim.
I was an Andrade fan many years ago, bailed on him the same as I bailed on GGG when I realized how they were. And the following years confirmed my thoughts of them. Either can turn it around but I doubt either will.
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
This Dominican fellow has a weird record, he lost 8 of his first 11 fights:S... And now he's 29-8-4....
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
The referee seems to have a favourite here a pretty bad low blow or two from yafai that did some damage, not the first low blow either... Ref doesn't start a count but just tells the guy he has to get and starts the fight as soon as he's up :S.... No five minutes here, ref didn't even mention it... Maybe that's not the rule in every fight maybe
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Yafai is hearing Double after the fight due to a perforated eardrum.
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Parker v leapai is quite an amazing mismatch, whoever is letting leapai in the ring at 39 and after having bad eye problems should be a bit ashamed of themselves.... At least parker is trying to end it early though
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Quote:
Originally Posted by
palmerq
Yafai is hearing Double after the fight due to a perforated eardrum.
He look any better that he did with Gonzalez last fight? Hearn sounded like he was ready to ship him off to the scrap heap. Parker and Lepai over yet ;D
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Spicoli
Quote:
Originally Posted by
palmerq
Yafai is hearing Double after the fight due to a perforated eardrum.
He look any better that he did with Gonzalez last fight? Hearn sounded like he was ready to ship him off to the scrap heap. Parker and Lepai over yet ;D
I didn't see that one, yafai looked pretty good to me, he had some bad rounds but was never in any danger, the low blows were bad though...
Parker leapai might be about to end at the end of the third... Parker just doesn't have quick explosive power, he's v big chap and can hit hard I'm sure but he can't put the big lump away... Leapai is taking a lot of damage, the git has had eye surgery, someone get him out of there, he's taken enough punches to earn his money :S....
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Parker looks to have tired himself out a bit in the fourth round here, he's taking easy here... Leapai looks way worse than when he beat boytsov, big mismatch, who cares.
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Leapai knocked himself over whilst hitting parker with a right hand :S
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Ref stops it in the 10th... Leapai could have made it to the end but he was just getting hit hard a lot... His corner really should have taken him out of there earlier... Parker looked good, although many would look good v a 39 year old leapai :S.... Parkers lack of power is a bit worrying for him though, super cautious wladimir put this fellow down three times five years ago :S.... Parker should have assaulted his body too, leapai was really lacking physically a good body assault would have done him but wotever.
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
My stream died real fast, but I caught the first couple of rounds of the Andrade fight and he looked great. Shocked sulecki went the distance after that, anyone watch the whole thing?
Re: Demetrius Andrade v Sulecki
Andrade is a good fighter. He was calling out Canelo after the fight. I honestly think that Andrade beats Canelo. Too slick of a fighter. I want that fight to happen but I doubt Canelo goes that route