Demetrius Andrade ready to take on the World

Demetrius Andrade ready to take on the World


(US Olympic boxer Demetrious Andrade (M) proudly wearing the gold medal he recently won at the US Boxing Trials. His coaches are pictured with him - (L) David Keefe, (R) his father Paul Andrade)

PROVIDENCE (September 13, 2007) – Fresh off of his thoroughly dominating performance at the US Boxing Trials, where he qualified for the 2008 United States Boxing Team, amateur boxing star Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade has shifted his sights on the AIBA Men’s World Championships, October 23-November 3, at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Andrade, the No. 1 rated welterweight in the U.S., is the two-time U.S. National Championships and National Golden Gloves champion. The 19-year-old southpaw blitzed the opposition at the US Boxing Trials -- defeating in order David Lopez (RSCO-2), Charles Hatley (RSCO-3), Keith Thurman (27-13) and Thurman (21-13) again in the championship bout – to secure a position on Team USA.

All of the members on Team USA, however, need to qualify for the Olympics by finishing among the top eight in The Worlds or by placing in two other International tournaments. “It feels good to be on the team,” Andrade said. “I’ve worked very hard to get there but my goal is to win a gold medal at the Olympics. I trained super hard with my father (Paul) and David (Keefe). They prepared me to do well. I knew what I had to do and did it. It was easy.”

Demetrious will soon join his Team USA teammates at training camp in Colorado Springs to get ready for the World Championships, which in many ways serves as a prelude in boxing to the 2008 Olympic Games in China.

With Cuban Erislandi Lara reportedly not competing due to his failed defection at the Pan-Am Games, Andrade’s chief competition at The Worlds figures to come from Russians Andrey Balanov and Ruslan Khairov, although Bulgaria’s top ranked Magumed Nurudinov and Pan-Am Games gold medal winner Pedro Lima, who edged Andrade 7-6 in the championship bout held in Lima’s native Brazil, should also be in the medal hunt.

“I’m going through them all,” Andrade predicted. “No mercy for anybody. After this (World Championships) they won’t want to fight me in the Olympics. I won but lost in Russia and Brazil (due to controversial hometown scoring against Andrade). That doesn’t happen in tournaments like these…..oh, Roy Jones and Evander Holyfield were robbed in the Olympics.”

Andrade believes he’s improved in several ways like sitting down better (on his punches) and taking baby steps forward (rather than rushing in). His jab has been extremely effective but he also realizes that he has to work on some small bad habits to become an even more complete boxer.

All of the hoopla surrounding the Olympics, according to “Boo Boo,” hasn’t changed him because of his strong support system. “It’s all starting to hit me but I don’t feel any pressure,” Andrade concluded. “I keep a tight circle and don’t go around with a lot of people hanging around me. More people seem to know who I am now, but I know what can happen. My father and Dave give me tips about what to do or not to do in and out of the ring. Right now, I’m just getting focused on the World Championships and qualifying to box in the Olympics.”
-DA-

ANDRE BERTO vs. DAVID ESTRADA CO-MAIN BOUT ON TAYLOR - PAVLIK WILL BE CROSSROAD BATTLE FOR BOTH FIGHTERS

ANDRE BERTO vs. DAVID ESTRADA CO-MAIN BOUT ON TAYLOR - PAVLIK WILL BE CROSSROAD BATTLE FOR BOTH FIGHTERS




NEW YORK, September13th- While most fight fans at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall and those viewing live on HBO World Championship Boxing on September 29th are anticipating the World Middleweight Championship bout between champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor and #1 challenger Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik, they will also be treated to a co-main event featuring two of the welterweight division's elite in a crossroads battle. Fast rising Andre Berto will square off against fellow Floridian David Estrada in a 12-round bout for the vacant NABF welterweight title as well as a stronger foothold in the sports most exciting division.

Berto, nearly a three year pro, made a name for himself as an amateur while attempting to make the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team. He was disqualified during a preliminary trials bout, and suddenly his Olympic dream was gone. Through a twist of fate, he suddenly found himself invited to be the first ever member of the Haitian boxing team, a country of which he holds dual citizenship due to his parents birthright. Though his Olympic dream was briefly realized, (he lost a razor-thin decision in his first bout), he joined professional a few months later with a three round knock out, and hasn't looked back since. Berto is now 19-0 with 16 KOs and of his three bouts that have gone the distance, he has only lost four of a possible fifty four judged rounds- relying on constant pressure to either knock his opponent out, or win the round overwhelmingly.

Though both fighters frequent Miami area gyms, neither has had much contact with each other over the years- the closest contact being when Berto appeared on the undercard of Estrada's biggest win which was a (TKO-11) over Chris Smith. Berto acknowledges that Estrada will be his toughest test to date.

“He's definitely a step up in class. He's been in with world class competition so he's gonna be a real good test for me," said Berto. Although Berto boasts a 84% knockout ratio, the scheduled 12-round distance doesn't phase him in the least. “I'm definitely ready to go the distance if necessary. We're putting in a lot of hard work in the gym and I'm looking forward to it.”

For Miami's Estrada, the fight with Berto can reignite his career in a big way. The 21-3, 12 KOs, former USBA welterweight champ is riding a three fight KO win streak after dropping two straight to pound-for-pound elite “Sugar” Shane Mosley (L10) and current IBF king Kermit Cintron (TKOby10). Exactly one month after facing Berto, Estrada will have been a pro for eight years and is well aware that he is regarded as a stepping-stone in this match - a view he doesn't quite share. “His camp might think so, but he knows he's in for a war and the fight of his life," said Estrada.

Estrada knows that Berto can be hurt, as evidenced by his hitting the deck in his last fight against Cosme Rivera. "He has bitten off more than he can chew, not because Cosme dropped him. Anyone can get knockdown, but he handled it well, he got up and won the fight. On September 29th the world will see what kind of fighter I am when I'm prepared," said Estrada.

Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment is as excited as any fan would be over this pivotal matchup. "This will be an explosive bout between two Florida natives, as Berto puts his youth, power and speed up against the experience, toughness and resiliency of Estrada."

Tickets for Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik "Throwback" are priced at $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, are now on sale and can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420 or by visiting http://www.ticketmaster.com/ .

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For more information on DiBella Entertainment,visit http://www.dbe1.com/, Caesars Atlantic City http://www.caesarsac.com/, HBO www.hbo.com/boxing, Top Rank http://www.toprank.com/

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MAYWEATHER & HATTON KICK OFF FIVE-CITY GLOBAL MEDIA TOUR IN LOS ANGELES

MAYWEATHER & HATTON KICK OFF FIVE-CITY GLOBAL MEDIA TOUR IN LOS ANGELES SEPTEMBER 17 LOS ANGELES (September 11) — Helping to promote their upcoming “UNDEFEATED” welterweight championship, “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton will pack their bags and take off on a five-city global media tour which marks the first time since the days of Muhammad Ali that a press tour has traveled across the seas. The two champions own a combined record of 81-0 and will collide in the ring December 8 at MGM Grand, live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

The first city on the historic trip will be in Los Angeles, followed by stops across the globe including Mayweather’s hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich. as well as New York City, before crossing the Atlantic for stops in London, England and Hatton’s hometown of Manchester.

“UNDEFEATED,” featuring Mayweather’s defense of his world welterweight championship against the universally recognized world junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, will be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets for “UNDEFEATED,” priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, go on sale Monday, Sept. 17 at 10 am PT Tickets will be available for purchase by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or to charge by phone with a major credit card call (702) 474-4000. Ticket sales will be limited to two (2) per person. The Mayweather vs. Hatton pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your Mayweather vs. Hatton fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com. For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.