Demetrius Andrade hopes to finally get to face bitter rival Billy Joe Saunders when boxing returns.
Andrade (29-0 18 KOs) was due to face Saunders in October 2018 for Saunders’ WBO crown. However, the Briton failed a drug test and subsequently relinquished the title.
Instead, Andrade would win the vacant belt against Walter Kautondokwa in Boston. Satisfying for the Rhode Island native. Since then he defended the title with imposing wins over Artur Akavov, Maciej Sulecki and Luke Keeler.
Still, he needs a blockbuster fight to stamp his name into the casual and hardcore boxing base as the authority in the 160lbs division.
“I was willing to fight Billy Joe after a 15 month lay-off but that didn’t happen and I am willing to fight him again,” said Andrade on the Matchroom Boxing podcast. “If I can’t get Canelo then it’s Billy Joe or Charlo at 160. At 168 we’ve got Callum Smith. I would bust Billy Joe Saunders up at 160 or 168, that’s not a problem.”
The undefeated middleweight earned a 9th-round stoppage victory over contender Luke Keeler (17-3-1, 5 KOs) back in January. Andrade defended his WBO World Middleweight title for the fourth time.
“I consider Danny Jacobs one of the best Middleweights out there, but would I fight him, yeah! If it came to the point where we were going to make X amount, then we could make it happen, but I grew up with him and we have a brothership and mutual connections. Fighting him isn’t something I’m looking to do.”
Andrade has been calling out WBO World Super Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders and more, looking for a bigger stage.
“We know Jacobs, Canelo, GGG, Sergey Derevyenchenko and Billy Joe want to fight, who am I going to fight? Billy Joe or Liam Williams? Who do you want to see? I saw Billy Joe in the airport not too long ago. He said ‘what do you think about me and you?’ and I told him ‘he doesn’t want to fight me and for him to go and enjoy his life’.
“It might be Williams but I’m not fighting Canelo or Charlo or Billy Joe behind closed doors because I want to shut them up in front of people! And tell them ‘It’s me again’!”
Demetrius Andrade is ready to rock once boxing’s quarantine is over.
