When will Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade finally step up?

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    Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade born February 26, 1988 in Providence, Rhode Island is a professional boxer from the United States best known for winning the 2007 world championships as an amateur. He made his professional debut October 23, 2008. Demetrius represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics. This is where the accolades and praise stops!

    “Boo Boo” as he is called has chosen to take the slow route in boxing now having won 16 (KO 11) with no losses on record. One may think he’s ready to step up his level of competition, well think again. Demetrius Andrade will face Rudy Cisneros who has won 12 (KO 11) and lost 3 and has been KO’d twice in 15 bouts. He has boxed 50 rounds with a 68.75 knockout percentage.  With numbers like that, one can be easily fooled into believing Rudy has a shot, but sometimes numbers do lie.

    Rudy hasn’t been in the ring in one year come May 5th Cinco de Mayo weekend and his last lost was to Jonathan Gonzalez who stopped Rudy Cisneros by 7 round TKO.  Jonathan Gonzalez came into the ring as a part of team Puerto Rico which is a batch of talent brought over from Puerto Rico by three promoters that decide to join forces to co-promote some exciting talent here in the states. Jonathan Gonzalez was also a part of the very same 2007 world championships that Andrade won. In the very same tournament, Gonzalez lost his first fight. Gonzalez later turned pro in December 2008.

    We have two fighters with same goals on different paths; Andrade being the decorated amateur with Gonzalez also being a solid one who came up short in a few fights. It can also be said that Gonzalez has a pro style that did not suit the amateurs but is excelling in the pros except for last fight where he looked out of shape but still beat Billy Lyell by decision. My point in comparison with Andrade is that Andrade was expected to be at a certain place in his career, yet he is being dragged up ranking slowly. You would of assumed that after his win over Grady Brewer; who himself was coming off a shocking knockout win over Fernando Guerrero (another unbeaten and touted prospect), Andrade would be pushed to taking at a real contender in the very same rankings.

    Andrade seems to have all the tools to make him great; 6’1 with a tall long frame and a decent reach advantage over most fighters easily compared to Paul Williams in terms of body. Like Paul Williams, Andrade is a southpaw which is usually tough for most conventional fighters.  He has the amateur pedigree and the powerful advisor in Al Haymon.  So why haven’t we seen him on HBO or Showtime? Instead he’s gotten a steady diet of 3 years on ESPN and ESPN opposition.

    The rankings and sanctioning bodies don’t help Andrade either. He will be forced to face the top of 154 pound division because the 24-year-old Andrade has been rising in world light middleweight ratings, recently moving to No. 6 in the World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) and No. 7 in the International Boxing Federation (“IBF”), as well as No. 15 in the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) and World Boxing Association (“WBA”).

    In a press release issued by Star Boxing Promotions they had this to say,”Andrade has been favorably compared to a younger, heavier, left-handed Mayweather due to their similar boxing styles, featuring lightning-quick feet and hands, incredible defensive reflexes and strings of dominant victories. “Boo Boo” has stopped of 11 of 16 opponents, collectively winning 57 of 61 rounds fought on the judges’ scorecards.” These words seem very impressive but I’m with the majority of fans who want to see him in there with a live body.