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Demetrius Andrade on Mayweather, Cotto, Golovkin, Alvarez, Lara

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Fighters Network
16
Jun

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Demetrius Andrade called himself "the best in the world" after dropping England's Brian Rose in the first and third rounds of Saturday's seventh round stoppage in defense of his WBO junior middleweight title at Barclays Center.

Andrade (21-0, 14 knockouts), 26, and his promoter, Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing, declared him ready for the likes of RING number one-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Floyd Mayweather Jr., four-division titllist Miguel Cotto and WBA middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin, if not junior middleweights Saul Alvarez and Erislandy Lara.

"We're ready to go," said DeGuardia of Andrade, who ended an 11-fight winning streak that included three wins by knockout for Rose. "As Demetrius has said, we're looking for the biggest and the best fights out there. 'Canelo,' Cotto, Mayweather, you name them. We're looking for the best fighters out there because we think that we've got the best fighter in the world."

Rose was in agreement.



"Andrade is better than I thought," said Rose. "He may be one of the best out there in the game right now."

But is he ready for someone like Mayweather? Andrade thinks he is.

"I believe that I can beat Floyd Mayweather," said Andrade, who stands 6-foot-1. "There's nobody out there who has a jab like me. There's nobody out there who is as fast as me and who is going to slip and slide and look as good against Floyd Mayweather."

In his past four fights, Mayweather has unanimously decisioned Cotto in defense of his WBA 154-pound title in May 2012, similarly defended his RING and WBC 147-pound championships by dominating Robert Guerrero in May 2013, won a majority decision over Alvarez last September for the RING and WBC junior middleweight championships and added Maidana's WBA welterweight title with a majority decision in May.

"Maidana, he put up a good fight but he was just a bull and Mayweather did what he had to do to beat him. I clearly believe that I can beat Floyd Mayweather," said Andrade. "As you see, he's been picking guys like the Mexican fighters who, you know, have the fan base behind them. That's great. They draw a lot of people, so that's generally what they're looking for. But I'm willing to get in there with Floyd Mayweather."

Skillful fighters such as fellow southpaws DeMarcus Corley and Zab Judah as well as right-hander Shane Mosley all landed quality blows that hurt Mayweather during their unanimous decision losses in May 2004, April 2006 and May 2010, respectively.

"Floyd Mayweather hasn't fought anybody that's young and slick and who has speed and can move like him and that has good footwork and that has a good I.Q. in the ring," said Andrade. "I've got the keys and the tools and the vision and everything that I need to get it done and I'm willing to put him up to that challenge."

It appears that Andrade will have to continue to do major campaigning to break into the Mayweather sweepstakes with considerations for a Sept. 13 return likely to include a rematch with Maidana, RING junior welterweight titleholder Danny Garcia or former titleholder Amir Khan. Garcia was last in action for a disputed majority decision over Mauricio Herrera in March.

"Now if Mayweather wants to pick Danny Garcia, who was in with a tough little boxer like Herrera, you're talking about a situation where Mayweather is way above Herrera, so that's going to just be the same thing," said Andrade. "If Mayweather wants to retire being the best like he's saying, I think before he goes out, that he needs to fight Demetrius Andrade."

Andrade even mentioned the potential for a rise in weight to face 32-year-old Golovkin, who will pursue his 17th consecutive stoppage win opposite former titleholder Daniel Geale on July 26 at Madison Square Garden.

"If the opportunity is right and everything. He's a good fighter. I know there is not a lot of good fighters out there for him right now but 154 is my division," said Andrade.

"But if the talks and everything go right, I could possibly build myself up to 160. I could outbox but I still believe that I have more experience to gain in the ring as a professional. But I'm willing to get in there with anybody to show that I'm the best when the time is right."

Of course, there is also Cotto, whose 10th-round stoppage of Sergio Martinez earned him THE RING and WBC middleweight championships.

"Cotto is one of the greats. He had a great performance against Martinez," said Andrade. "Just like I am, Martinez is a southpaw. Now if you want to see him in there with a great southpaw, then that's me, Demetrius Andrade."

If not any of the aforementioned or a unification bout within the division, Andrade appears willing to face others in the division, including the winner of a July 12 clash between Alvarez and Lara at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"Ultimately, I'm willing to unify. I want to get all of the belts. I want to be one of the greatest. I want to go after the belts. I don't really want to go after nobody that doesn't have a belt. But back in the day, the best fought the best and that's what I want to do in order to bring boxing back that way. I'm 26 years old; I'm young and I'm in no rush," said Andrade.

"These guys want to take their time and they don't know what they want to do. But if they want to get in there with somebody that's going to really give them a challenge, sooner or later, the cream is going to rise to the top and that's me. So 'Canelo,' Lara, they got the big names but I'm the best. I'm going to show the world and I'm going to just keep doing what I've been doing."

 

Video: Bill Emes

Fighters Network