Via Jack Tiernan: Demetrius ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade will vacate his 160-lb WBO title and move up to 168th to take on No. 1 Zach Parker to try and become a must-have for super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reports that Andrade will vacate his 160-lb WBO title to move forward against undefeated Parker (22-0, 17 KOs) for the required spot.
The only reason the WBO didn’t install Demetrius as an immediate requirement for Canelo’s 168 lb title with their organization is that Zach Parker, 27, has been waiting a while at No. 1 and they don’t want him. jumped up without giving him a shot to keep his position.
This is no joke for Demetrius, as Parker has a lot of talent and can punch. This fight may be the toughest for Andrade in years since his fierce fight with Jack Culcay in 2017.
Zhanibek competes for the vacant WBO belt
There’s been an auction scheduled this week to defend Andrade against the mandatory Zhanibek Alimkhanuly at his WBO at 160th. It’s a fight that won’t make a lot of money for Andrade and it will be a match. tough, considering the 2016 Olympian Zhanibek (11-0.7 KOs) has a lot of power and he’s tough.
With Andrade vacating the 160-pound WBO title, Zhanibek will be up against the next tallest contender in the World Boxing Organization rankings.
“Andrade, the two-division world champion, this week faced an auction for a mandatory defensive match against Janibek Alimkhanuly. Alimkhanuly’s team will be chasing an empty title. One possible opponent: Chris Eubank Jr., who will face Liam Williams on February 5,” Mannix said.
It remains to be seen whether Chris Eubank Jr will choose to face Janibek for the vacant 160lb WBO belt, but we’ll see. If the WBO orders Janibek vs. Eubank Jr, you can bet the fight will happen. Eubank Jr. not the kind of warrior that can go against anyone.
This is a move by 33-year-old Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) initiated to force WBO champion Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) to eventually face him or vacate his title. him in a way that is considered a case of him openly bowing.
Many boxing fans have believed that Canelo has been publicly avoiding Andrade for a decade since 2012, but that’s far from the analysis. But if Andrade becomes Canelo’s must-competitor at the age of 168, he’ll have to fight that fight if he doesn’t want to be seen as scared before the 2008 US Olympics.
Canelo presented Andrade with the boot during his post-match press conference last May when he called him out after his win over British boxer Billy Joe Saunders at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Alvarez showed little courtesy to Demetrius by kicking him out of the post-match press conference, telling him that “Get the fuck out of here. “ Canelo added that Andrade is a “terrible fighter,” although he is a former two undefeated world champion and the 2008 Olympian.
“Demetrius Andrade plans to vacate his £160 title and move up to 168th,” sources told @SInow. Andrade’s team is working to finalize a deal to face Zach Parker, with the winner becoming mandatory for the super middleweight title held by Canelo Alvarez,” said Chris Mannix.
It sucks that Andrade has to fight to be Canelo’s man-man at 168 just to try and force him to give him a shot. I mean, this is a fight that many boxing fans will love to watch, and Canelo has to be aware of that.
As for him choosing to fight against lesser-known opposition like Ilunga Makabu over Demetrius, sparks the argument that he is defeating Providence, the Rhode Island native.
