NEW CHAMPION
Andrade goes the long route to claim the WBO title
Demetrius Andrade wins the vacant WBO middleweight title
IN the absence of Billy Joe Saunders, Demetrius
Andrade claimed the vacant WBO middleweight title to became a two-weight world champion, but the performance was very much a microcosm of his stop-start career.
There were spells where he looked like magic. Every inch an elite middleweight, with dazzling skills and enough power to send late replacement Walter Kautondokwa to the canvas four times in as many rounds. But interspersed among the glimpses of excellence were lengthy spells of nothingness. Ditto his 10-year, 26-fight career.
The reason for his inability to put away the Namibian after such a searing start to the fight appeared to be a shoulder injury which “Boo Boo” carried into the bout and then exacerbated during combat. As such, there was no stoppage win for the undefeated southpaw from down the road in Providence, Rhode Island, who banked a lopsided decision instead. Judges Glenn Feldman and Marcus Mcdonnell had him a 120-104 winner, while Ramon Cerdan scored it 119-105.
This was not the opponent anyone had wanted for Andrade, but when Saunders tested positive for the banned substance oxilofrine in a test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-doping Agency, the Boston State Athletic Commission refused to license the champion to box. As a result, Saunders relinquished his title, leaving Andrade to face undefeated but little-known puncher Kautondokwa for the vacant belt.
The total change of style, however, did not appear to affect Andrade in the slightest, as he set about the African from the off. His reward was a quartet of early knockdowns, but the super tough visitor kept getting up just before referee Steve Willis could finish his count.
The harum-scarum start eventually made way for a comparatively dull spectacle, and there were points in the later sessions when there was near-total silence inside the TD Garden, which played host to more than 6,000 fans on the night.
In fairness, the 12 rounds might have done Andrade good considering it was nearly a year to the day since his last outing, and this contest takes his total to
‘HE’S A TOUGH GUY. I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO. IT WAS GREAT TO GET ROUNDS’
just three fights in the last 28 months.
Indeed, when asked whether he was disappointed not to get the stoppage, Andrade said: “Definitely not. He’s a tough guy. I did what I had to do. It was great to get 12 rounds in.”
Earlier on this Matchroom/murphys Boxing promotion, Philadelphian Tevin
Farmer lived up to his billing as a significant pre-fight favourite against Belfast’s James Tennyson in the first defence of his IBF super-featherweight crown.
Southpaw Farmer dropped his challenger with a left hook to the body in the fourth and it was the same shot which ended the fight in the very next round as referee Arthur Mercante Jnr disposed of his count after 1-44.
Irish star Katie Taylor defended her WBA and IBF female lightweight titles in style as she cruised through what had been touted beforehand as the toughest match of her career to date against former WBO featherweight champion
Cindy Serrano.
Judges Stephen Clark, John Madfis and Allen Nace all returned scorecards of 100-90 after 10-twos – officiated by Leo Gerstel – which Taylor dominated from start to finish. The Bray fighter later admitted she found it so easy that she got bored, which might explain why she decided to drop her hands in the seventh round and offer Brooklyn-based Puerto Rican Serrano a free shot. Sheffield’s Kid
Galahad moved a step closer to a world title fight thanks to a unanimous decision victory over Freddie Roach-trained Providence portsider
Toka Kahn Clary in a final eliminator for the IBF featherweight strap. Mr Clark scored it 115113, but Gary Litchfield and Mr Madfis were closer to the mark with their 118-110 cards. Gene Del Bianco was the ref. Roach’s other fighter on the card,
Scott Quigg, got back to winning ways in his first fight since losing to Oscar Valdez in March. In what was his debut at superfeatherweight, the Bury man ended the resistance of Mexico’s Mario Briones in just 4 minutes and 12 seconds, as referee Del Bianco stepped in. It had been set for eight.
Hull’s Tommy Coyle boxed brilliantly to mark his dream American debut with a victory over Ryan Kielczweski of Quincy, Massachusetts. Mr Clark (98-91), Mr Litchfield (96-93) and Mr Nace (99-90) all made Coyle the winner in an entertaining fight refereed by Mr Gerstel. Kielczweski was down in the seventh. Local southpaw
Mark Deluca edged his rematch with Walter
Wright just four months after dropping a split decision to the Seattle man. Mr Clark scored it 97-93, while both Mr Litchfield and Mr Nace returned identical 96-94 tallies. Mr Mercante Jnr took charge. Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey’s
Brendan Barrett suffered a knockdown in round five en route to a unanimous points loss to Gorey, Ireland’s Niall
Kennedy. Scores were 58-55 (Mr Nace) and 60-53 twice (Mr Clark and Mr Litchfield). Mr Gerstel officiated.
Belfast’s Sean Mccomb stopped Peruvian Carlos Galindo in the third round of their scheduled four. Mr Del Bianco refereed. Brooklyn-based Kazakh southpaw
Daniyar Yeleussinov dispatched Salem’s Matt Doherty inside a round (set for six) Referee Mercante Jnr stepped in to prevent any further punishment at 2-33.
Revere’s Travis Gambardella and South Boston’s Joe Farina met in a Massachusetts derby which went the former’s way thanks to 39-37 cards from both Mr Litchfield and Mr Nace. Mr Clark had it 38-38. Mr Gerstel was the third man.
THE VERDICT Andrade takes his seat at the middleweight top table, but far tougher tests lie in wait for him.