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Demetrius Andrade assumes he will defeat Brian Rose without incident Demetrius Andrade assumes he will defeat Brian Rose without incident
(about 7 hours later)
British underdogs fighting in New York have not had much joy in recent years (or olden times, for that matter), and Brian Rose will probably return from his world title fight on Saturday night with nothing to show for the experience but memories, a decent cheque and a few bruises.British underdogs fighting in New York have not had much joy in recent years (or olden times, for that matter), and Brian Rose will probably return from his world title fight on Saturday night with nothing to show for the experience but memories, a decent cheque and a few bruises.
The Blackpool light-middleweight’s best – perhaps only – chance of leaving the Barclays Center in Brooklyn with his dignity intact is the quite mountainous ego of his unbeaten American opponent, Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, who defends the WBO title for the first time.The Blackpool light-middleweight’s best – perhaps only – chance of leaving the Barclays Center in Brooklyn with his dignity intact is the quite mountainous ego of his unbeaten American opponent, Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, who defends the WBO title for the first time.
The champion has barely mentioned the Blackpool challenger by name in the lead-up and, with that peculiar swagger and bombast that seems acceptable in American boxing, he is already looking past Rose. There is a slim chance his hubris will bring him undone, because lack of respect can do peculiar things to a fighter when he takes an unexpected smack on the whiskers.The champion has barely mentioned the Blackpool challenger by name in the lead-up and, with that peculiar swagger and bombast that seems acceptable in American boxing, he is already looking past Rose. There is a slim chance his hubris will bring him undone, because lack of respect can do peculiar things to a fighter when he takes an unexpected smack on the whiskers.
Andrade assumes he will account for Rose without incident and then wants to fight the winner of the non-title catchweight 12-rounder in Las Vegas on 12 July between Saúl Álvarez and the classy Cuban Erislandy Lara, a unification fight with the IBF title-holder Carlos Molina, or (in his dreams) a payday against Floyd Mayweather before the great man retires next year.Andrade assumes he will account for Rose without incident and then wants to fight the winner of the non-title catchweight 12-rounder in Las Vegas on 12 July between Saúl Álvarez and the classy Cuban Erislandy Lara, a unification fight with the IBF title-holder Carlos Molina, or (in his dreams) a payday against Floyd Mayweather before the great man retires next year.
A celebrated amateur, Andrade showed the first signs of unbridled entitlement when on the end of a poor decision in the quarter-finals at the Beijing Olympics, indulging in a tantrum of gold-medal quality when the Korean boxer Kim Jung-joo benefited from the flawed scoring system.A celebrated amateur, Andrade showed the first signs of unbridled entitlement when on the end of a poor decision in the quarter-finals at the Beijing Olympics, indulging in a tantrum of gold-medal quality when the Korean boxer Kim Jung-joo benefited from the flawed scoring system.
“I’m a bad man,” said Andrade, who won the WBO title by outpointing another American Olympian, Vanes Martirosyan, last November and has stopped 13 of 20 opponents. “I’m going to whip his ass. He’s getting knocked out. Fans are going to see why none of the top guys in my division want to fight me. I’m taking over!”“I’m a bad man,” said Andrade, who won the WBO title by outpointing another American Olympian, Vanes Martirosyan, last November and has stopped 13 of 20 opponents. “I’m going to whip his ass. He’s getting knocked out. Fans are going to see why none of the top guys in my division want to fight me. I’m taking over!”
Andrade’s manager, Ed Farris, similarly dismissed Rose as an inconvenience and pronounced: “Hopefully, we’ll get a spectacular win and provide fans with the kind of performance that they deserve. They will see Demetrius’s incredible potential and special gifts if he does what he’s capable of.Andrade’s manager, Ed Farris, similarly dismissed Rose as an inconvenience and pronounced: “Hopefully, we’ll get a spectacular win and provide fans with the kind of performance that they deserve. They will see Demetrius’s incredible potential and special gifts if he does what he’s capable of.
“Sooner or later, Demetrius Andrade will be recognised as one of the most talented boxers in the world, and boxing politics won’t stop him from eventually getting to the top.”“Sooner or later, Demetrius Andrade will be recognised as one of the most talented boxers in the world, and boxing politics won’t stop him from eventually getting to the top.”
In the face of such unmitigated confidence – admittedly on a drip-feed to an unquestioning local media – it would be reasonable to ask Rose: why bother, mate? Because it is his job, because he has earned his mandatory shot – with a split decision over the accomplished Argentinian Javier Francisco Maciel in Sheffield eight months ago – and because he is a proud fighting man.In the face of such unmitigated confidence – admittedly on a drip-feed to an unquestioning local media – it would be reasonable to ask Rose: why bother, mate? Because it is his job, because he has earned his mandatory shot – with a split decision over the accomplished Argentinian Javier Francisco Maciel in Sheffield eight months ago – and because he is a proud fighting man.
British fighters who are not called Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton, Naseem Hamed or Amir Khan have not been granted much respect in American campaigns in recent years and the odds are Rose will join those who have been dismissed as fodder. He will try hard to convince himself he is not a second-class citizen, but the opposition and the promoters (who have no interest in a British upset) will do their best to make him feel that way.British fighters who are not called Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton, Naseem Hamed or Amir Khan have not been granted much respect in American campaigns in recent years and the odds are Rose will join those who have been dismissed as fodder. He will try hard to convince himself he is not a second-class citizen, but the opposition and the promoters (who have no interest in a British upset) will do their best to make him feel that way.
It is what happened to Michael Jennings when he went to Madison Square Garden only to be schooled by Miguel Cotto inside five rounds in 2009, and John Murray, who fought bravely in the same ring over 11 rounds against Brandon Rios, who was happy to pay the penalty for coming in overweight and gave the Mancunian an unfair hiding.It is what happened to Michael Jennings when he went to Madison Square Garden only to be schooled by Miguel Cotto inside five rounds in 2009, and John Murray, who fought bravely in the same ring over 11 rounds against Brandon Rios, who was happy to pay the penalty for coming in overweight and gave the Mancunian an unfair hiding.
The best the 29-year-old Rose can hope for is to live up to his ring name: The Lion. If he gives Andrade a difficult night, he will have done himself proud. And Max Maxwell, who has lost 47 of 67 bouts, will be able to tell his mates he was the only fighter to stop Rose – four years ago in an eight-rounder in Huddersfield. That, pretty much, describes Rose’s challenge.The best the 29-year-old Rose can hope for is to live up to his ring name: The Lion. If he gives Andrade a difficult night, he will have done himself proud. And Max Maxwell, who has lost 47 of 67 bouts, will be able to tell his mates he was the only fighter to stop Rose – four years ago in an eight-rounder in Huddersfield. That, pretty much, describes Rose’s challenge.
“Out of all of them, Andrade is the weakest of the World champions at light middleweight - but he is a world champion,” Rose said on Friday. “I have a chance in this fight and I haven’t come over here to get beat and just make up the numbers. I’m here to take the chance that I have earned and I am positive that I am going to come home with a world title. I am going to enjoy the experience of course, how could I not? I am fighting in New York for a world title, this is the big time, it’s an amazing venue and I’ve never boxed somewhere as brilliant as this.”
Andrade-Rose is the main support to what should be an unsubtle war between the Russian WBO light-welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov and his unbeaten challenger Chris Algieri. Provodnikov, who fights as if beating up a burglar and gave Timothy Bradley nightmares over 12 rounds in March last year, should be too experienced and powerful for the former kick-boxer.Andrade-Rose is the main support to what should be an unsubtle war between the Russian WBO light-welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov and his unbeaten challenger Chris Algieri. Provodnikov, who fights as if beating up a burglar and gave Timothy Bradley nightmares over 12 rounds in March last year, should be too experienced and powerful for the former kick-boxer.