“The same day that I found out about the WBO letting me fight for the 160 lb. title was the same day everybody found out on the internet. At first I thought it was a rumor, people making stuff up like they do. I didn’t talk to my promoters either about it. I never said I would fight anyone or move up at 160. So let’s do some research. Kid Chocolate was going to get 1.4 million to fight Korobov but he didn’t and dropped his title. So here comes Demetrius Andrade, let’s take this chance to show people why I’m great, but come to find out, I’m not nearly getting near a damn thing close to what Kid Chocolate was offered. I don’t understand why. I’m just not going to go up from the same title I got at 154 for chump change. But if that offer does come around, then yes I’ll gladly get in the ring with Korobov and give him the business.”
Those were the words of an optimistic yet disappointed Demetrius Andrade. He holds the WBO version of the 154 lb. title and was looking to move up and fight for the 160 lb. title but the dollars didn’t make sense once Roc Nation wasn’t involved. So Andrade has a title yet no opponents are lining up to face him. If he had it his way, it would be him stepping in the ring with newly signed HBO fighter Canelo, not Joshua Clottey.
“I’d love to get in there with Canelo. He picked Clottey over me and Kirkland,” Andrade told ThaBoxingVoice.com. “ I told my promoters since Kirkland was on the list, let’s get on the undercard, fight James Kirkland and the winner out of us fights the winner out of Canelo-Clottey, plain and simple, but when they heard I was going to 160, somehow Rosado was going to fight Kirkland, how is that going to happen? There should be enough money and time for me and Kirkland to throw down on the card and still time for him to get this ass whooping.”
Because Andrade isn’t with a mega promoter or doesn’t have an Al Haymon in his corner, fights aren’t easy to come by, but he says all these fighters need to man up and try to be great.
“When Ishe Smith had the belt, everybody was calling him out and I don’t get the same feedback because they’re going to be in there with someone that’s real, that will adjust and find a way to win,” explained Andrade. “I thought in the sport of boxing, everybody wanted to be a champ or beat the champ and in this case, it’s about who’s on your team, promoter, and advisor and not how great you are. You have to work extra hard if you’re not in that circle.”
And as a champion Andrade feels he deserves more especially for a move up to another weight class.
“Everyone’s getting what they deserve and I’m not. I’m not going to do something for chump change and do what someone wants me to do. If someone is getting 1.4 for the same fight, you’re expecting the same or even close. The 1 wasn’t even there. So I’m good at 154 right now.”
A move to middleweight is something Andrade would consider in the future if the money’s right, and he knows all roads lead to Gennady Golovkin if he gets there. Most guys who have fought Golovkin make a career high pay day like Curtis Stevens who got 400,000 to fight Golovkin, and Andrade expects no less in the future.
“400k isn’t enough to fight someone like that. They should have paid for this Korobov fight so then the GGG fight could be even bigger. I’m the smaller guy and I’m going to get myself prepared for that class and stick there. I’m not going to drop down. I’ve been 154 for 9-10 years now. I wanted to unify and then move up, but sometimes it doesn’t work that way. I’m going to move to 160 the right way and prepped like I was for 154.”
