Former two-weight world champion Demetrius ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade 32-1 (19) has vowed to rise again following his first professional loss to David ‘El Monstruo’ Benavidez 28-0 (24) in their super middleweight bout on the weekend.
The 26-year-old Benavidez from Phoenix, Arizona took three rounds to figure out Providence, Rhode Island’s Andrade, 35, but once he did it was all one way traffic at the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.
Former two-time WBC 168-pound champion Benavidez had the crafty southpaw on the canvas courtesy of a right hand in the fourth round and on the wrong end of a one-sided beating in rounds five and six.
Andrade didn’t answer the bell for the seventh round.
“I appreciate the opportunity to engage in a challenging battle,” Andrade posted to social media. “Every fight, win or lose, fuels my love for the sport of boxing, and I’m determined to rise again.
“A special thank you to Showtime Boxing, Premierboxing, and Benavidez for the experience. Now, it’s time to reload, stay motivated, and prepare for the next battle.”
Andrade was having his second fight at super middleweight and just his second fight in two years. He was last in action in January when he pitched a 10-round shutout over Demond Nicholson.
Benavidez presented a tougher challenger with his pressure, volume and accuracy.
“Training camp was great. I just fought the bigger man. I’m not gonna say he was the better, more skillful man, but he was the bigger man,” Andrade reasoned.
“I tried to go to a new weight class. Congratulations to him and I’ll be back. I just gotta go back to the drawing board, work on my body a little more, and I think we’ll be right back at it.
“Listen, David’s just a big dude. He throws some tough shots. He’s a hell of a fighter, as well. I thought my skills would have overwhelmed him, but his size and strength definitely got the better hand today.”
Andrade, who previously held the WBO junior middleweight and middleweight titles, fought well early in the contest. He was able to nullify Benavidez’ attack by staying long or smothering him on the inside, but it wasn’t a sustainable tactic.
“It’s not that he’s a greater, more skillful fighter than me,” Andrade said. “I’m moving up to a third division. Trying to be world champion. I came to fight the bigger man.
“Nobody’s willing to get in the ring with him, nobody’s willing to get in the ring with me. I showed balls, I showed what I’ve got, and I put it on the line. This was my second fight at 168-pounds and I did what I had to do today.”
