Team Andrade: Request To Fight Saunders On 11/9 Was Turned Down

As often as his name keeps getting mentioned for big fights, Demetrius Andrade and his team have grown frustrated in trying to understand why one has yet to materialize.

The unbeaten middleweight titlist remains on the sidelines, having last fought in June and his name being floated everywhere but on the year-end schedule. One such opportunity they’ve actively sought but which has yet to come to light is a shot at undefeated super middleweight beltholder Billy Joe Saunders. The two-division title claimant from England will make his United States debut on Nov. 9, in supporting capacity to the DAZN-streamed rematch between YouTube personalities KSI and Logan Paul at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

An opponent for Saunders (28-0, 13KOs)—who defends his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight strap—is expected to be announced this week.

“It’s going to be an American and we’ve written to the WBO,” Eddie Hearn, Saunders’ promoter (since August 13) told IFL TV. “If you look at the WBO rankings, it’s not that many choices. We’ve written to the WBO and (asked), ‘Which of these would you accept, effectively?’

“Before the end of the week, his opponent will be announced.”

It almost certainly won’t be Andrade.

“Demetrius requested to fight Billy Joe Saunders for the WBO world title at 168 on the Nov. 9th card but was turned down for it,” Ed Farris, Andrade’s manager told BoxingScene.com. "He also had previously agreed to terms to fight Canelo, but ultimately, Canelo decided to move up two weight classes for the (Sergey) Kovalev (light heavyweight title) fight instead.”

Andrade (28-0, 17KOs) always knew a shot at Mexico’s Alvarez (52-1-2, 35KOs) was a long shot, but naturally was the first name he called out following his homecoming win over Poland’s Maciej Sulecki this past June in Providence, Rhode Island. Both are middleweight titlists and fight under the DAZN banner but remains an elusive fight to piece together.

 Alvarez has since landed on a Nov. 2 date versus Kovalev (34-3-1, 29KOs) in a bid to become a true three-division titlist (along with a secondary title win at 168), with their DAZN headliner to take place at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. 

 The next plan for Andrade and his team was to fight one week later, with a pairing versus Saunders already carrying a built-in storyline. The two were due to collide last October, in what would’ve been the stateside debut for Saunders, who was still the unbeaten WBO middleweight titlist at the time.

 Their bout was scrapped after the brash Brit tested positive for Oxilofrine, resulting in his being denied a boxing license in the state of Massachusetts, where the fight was slated to take place. The show went on without him, with Andrade collecting the vacant title following a lopsided points win over previously unbeaten late replacement Walter Kautondokwa.

 Two successful defenses have followed for Andrade, including a 12-round shutout of Poland’s Maciej Sulecki this past June in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island. The event was staged for the sole purpose of Hearn and DAZN was to build Andrade’s profile. The southpaw’s hopes were to parlay it into a big fight with Alvarez or Golovkin, or even moving up in weight for a revisited heat with Saunders.

 All that’s come back are rejections.

 “Demetrius was willing to step up to super middleweight and specifically requested the Nov. 9th card to fight him,” notes Farris. 

 Inquiries placed with Hearn and Matchroom Boxing USA as well as MTK Global—Saunders’ management team—seeking comment have yet to be returned as this goes to publish.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox