Andrade still looking for a big fight, doesn’t want one behind closed doors

The WBO middleweight titleholder is still searching for his big fight, but may have to keep waiting.

WBO middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade hasn’t been able to secure a true big fight to date, but the 32-year-old unbeaten southpaw from Providence is still searching, and says he’s ready for anyone from Canelo Alvarez to Liam Williams.

Canelo, of course, would be the big prize, as he’s the top star near Andrade’s weight and arguably the top star in all of boxing. Billy Joe Saunders, who was reportedly set to fight Canelo on May 2, and was definitely set to fight Andrade in 2018, is another option, and Andrade (29-0, 18 KO) says he’d do that fight.

“I was willing to fight Billy Joe after a 150-month layoff, but that didn’t happen and I am willing to fight him again. If I can’t get Canelo then it’s Billy Joe or (Jermall) Charlo at 160. At 168 we’ve got Callum Smith. I would bust Billy Joe Saunders up at 160 or 168, that’s not a problem.”

Daniel Jacobs is still out there, too. The former middleweight titleholder is looking to campaign at 168, but has hinted he might be willing to go back to 160 for the right fight, even though he said making weight had become too difficult for him to operate at maximum ability.

Jacobs is a friend, Andrade says, and while it’s not at the top of his list, he would entertain the fight for the right deal.

“I consider Danny Jacobs one of the best middleweights out there, but would I fight him, yeah,” Andrade said. “If it came to the point where we were going to make X amount, then we could make it happen, but I grew up with him and we have a brothership and mutual connections. Fighting him isn’t something I’m looking to do.”

As for Liam Williams, the brash action fighter from the UK, Andrade isn’t that interested, despite Williams’ constant attempts to bait him. Andrade simply doesn’t see it as a big fight, which in all honesty is fair enough, but also would historically point to Williams being the most likely opponent for him out of the group he’s mentioning.

“I don’t want to talk about Liam Williams because there is nothing to talk about. What do I have to say? We know Jacobs, Canelo, GGG, Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Billy Joe want to fight, who am I going to fight? Billy Joe or Liam Williams? Who do you want to see?”

Andrade does admit that with his next fight likely to come behind closed doors, Williams may actually make the most sense for the time being, as he wants a crowd for a bigger fight, and frankly bigger fights likely will have to wait for crowds to come back to the sport.

“I’m not fighting Canelo or Charlo or Billy Joe behind closed doors because I want to shut them up in front of people!”