As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade (28-0, 17 KOs) will defend his championship against contender Luke Keeler (17-2-1, 5 KOs) at Meridian at Island Gardens in Miami, Florida on Thursday January 30.
Andrade, 31, is making the third defense of his world title. Keeler, 32, of Dublin, is a sizable underdog in the fight.
Back in August, Keeler picked up his biggest win to date when he decisioned Luis Arias.
Andrade is hoping this latest fight will be the last one before securing a major contest against one of the big names in his weight class.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring again finally! It’s a great opportunity to show the world my talents and to be part of Super Bowl weekend in Miami is incredible. Miami is a beautiful city and I’m looking to once again showing that I’m the best 160-pound fighter in the world. It’s me again," Andrade said.
“There are major fights for me in the middleweight division. Those are the fights I want and I’ve been very vocal about it. At the end of the day, I just need to keep winning. They can’t avoid me forever. On January 30, we have to take care of business against Luke Keeler. He’s tough and he’s coming to fight, which will make for a great night of action for the fans in Miami and everyone else watching around the world on DAZN.”
Keeler has other plans and intends to pull off a shocking upset.
And he's hoping that a major win will push him forward to the bigger names like Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.
“Demetrius is a great fighter and I understand I’ll be written off as a huge underdog but it’s exactly how I like it, there isn’t a drop of pressure on me,” said Keeler.
“It feels surreal in a way but at the same time, I’ve always visualized it so in a way I expected this opportunity to come. Again, there is no pressure on me at all. I’ll have nerves like every fight but I’m going to enjoy every moment, bounce to the ring and pull off the upset.
“It’s a life changing fight and winning brings life-changing paydays but I would’ve taken this fight for free to be in the position that comes with winning. It puts me right up there for fights with Gennadiy Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.”
