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The WBO has ordered World Boxing Organization middleweight champion Demetrius ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade (28-0, 17 KOs) to defend against #1 mandatory challenger Steven Butler (28-1-1, 24 KOs) in his next fight. The two fighters will have 30 days to negotiate the match before it’ll go to a purse bid.

Steven Butler previously knocked out by Brandon Cook

Butler, 24, is a Canadian 160-lb fighter with very little experience against world level opposition. He stepped it up once during his 5-year pro career was knocked out in the 3rd round by Brandon Cook (20-2, 17 KOs) in January 2017.

For boxing fans that unfamiliar with Cook, he’s the same guy that WBO junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia destroyed in a third round knockout in September 2018. Cook was completely over-matched against Munguia.

Butler never avenged his loss to Cook. Ideally, that would have been the thing for Butler to do, because it looks bad that he never avenged the loss. The opposition that Butler has faced since his defeat to Cook is nothing special.

Andrade taking step down in class against Butler

This is arguably a big step down in class for the 31-year-old Andrade from his last fight against Maciej Sulecki last June. Andrade out-boxed Sulecki in winning a 12 round unanimous decision by a wide score on DAZN in Providence, Rhode Island.

That was a fight in which Andrade appeared close to scoring a quick knockout in the first two rounds, but then he backed off and boxed Sulecki the rest of the way.

That was a mistake on Andrade’s part, as he gassed out in the second half of the contest, and looked incredibly poor. Andrade looked amateurish, and not in the same realm as the elite level middleweights in the division.

Butler has 10 fight winning streak

Canadian Butler is coming into the fight with Andrade with a 10-fight winning streak against mostly marginal opposition. In his seven fights, Butler has beaten these fighters:

Vitalii Kopylenko
Paul Valenzuela Jr
Jesus Antonio Gutierrez
Jordan Balmir
Carson Jones
Jaime Herrera
Uriel Gonzalez

Despite Butler’s high 80% KO percentage, he’s not a huge puncher. He’s more of a slow, methodical type of fighter that wears down his opposition with volume punching. He has slow hands, and he tends to throw a lot of clubbing shots.

Butler doesn’t really dominate his opposition. Even in with his 28-1-1 record, Butler gets hit back frequently, and his opponents look like they’re in the fight with him. Butler’s inexperience as a pro makes it hard to view him as a solid #1. The WBO has their reasons for ranking Butler at the number #1 spot, but he lacks the resume to be viewed a solid top fighter

Kinda feel bad for Andrade...

In case anyone aint gomnna bother reading the first line of the OP. It's a MANDATORY FIGHT.

If the fight is made before the end of the year, then Andrade would have fought 3 times and that aint too bad at all, considering a few years ago, he was having one fight a year.

Strange article, Butler may not be world class but to single out a lack of hand speed is weird, he clearly doesn't have slow hands

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 13:29 Strange article, Butler may not be world class but to single out a lack of hand speed is weird, he clearly doesn't have slow hands

The writers on BoxingNews24 are absolute idiots...

Everyone is afraid to fight and lose because they are trying to get the Canelo jackpot first.

I dont think Butler is deserving as a challenger and think it will be an easy fight for Andrade!!

siablo14 wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 21:24

Everyone is afraid to fight and lose because they are trying to get the Canelo jackpot first.

True. Btw. Keith Conelley who manages Derev had said Derev is getting more money to fight GGG than he was offered against Canelo.
Maybe it was Canelo’s teams way if saying we don’t want to fight him.

Since signing with Matchroom USA, Demetrius Andrade has fought a plethora of super-dangerous high-profile names, which include the likes of: Alantez Fox, Walter Kautondokwa, Artur Akavov, Maciej Sulecki and will soon be facing Steven Butler.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 05:00Keith Conelley who manages Derev had said Derev is getting more money to fight GGG than he was offered against Canelo.
Maybe it was Canelo’s teams way if saying we don’t want to fight him.

… or perhaps Team Derevyanchenko priced themselves out of the Canelo fight and are trying to save face, by making false claims about their purse for the Golovkin bout.

ESPN claims (from an independent source) that GBP offered $5.5m, but Derevyanchenko was seeking $7m.

Both amounts are greater than any of Canelo’s and GGG’s guaranteed purses for both of their bouts.

I feel that Lou DiBella and Al Haymon were trying to force the purse bid (since televising a Canelo PPV on Showtime would have been very lucrative for them). Alternatively, they would have known that forcing the Mexican to vacate his title would inevitably open doors and create opportunities for their fighter.

Either way, there were no sporting reason for Canelo to “duck” Derevyanchenko.

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 07:12 Either way, there were no sporting reason for Canelo to “duck” Derevyanchenko.

Not saying he did..

Andrade: I've Called Out Everyone, Can't Make Them Fight Me

"We’re just going to keep fighting whoever they ask us to at this point,” Andrade (28-0, 17KOs) told BS.com when informed of the ruling. “If the WBO says he’s our mandatory then that’s my job and that’s who we’re fighting next.”

“It’s so disappointing to constantly be avoided by the few top guys,” notes Ed Farris, Andrade’s trainer. “I mean seriously, Canelo says he wants to unify the Middleweight division and that’s his goal to do before the end of the year.”

Alvarez could’ve held on to the title had his team filed for an exception, which is normally granted in the event of title unification.

“We agreed to fight him twice when asked,” points out Farris. “Then his team is so worried about Demetrius that they decide to move up two weight classes to fight someone else instead?

“What can we do? Except keep getting in the ring and winning.”

Butler’s credentials don’t exactly scream that of a superfight-level middleweight. At the same time, he’s also the only middleweight at the moment not heading in the opposite direction when Andrade’s name is mentioned.

“I’ve called out everyone over and over,” notes Andrade. “I can’t make them fight me but everyone is finally starting to figure out that I’m the guy everyone’s afraid of. So, that’s a compliment.”

Did he call out Korobov? What about Charlo?

The reason Canelo and Golovkin don't want him is his ugly unwatchable style. They would both beat him, but the fights wouldn't be entertaining.

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:51 Did he call out Korobov? What about Charlo?

The reason Canelo and Golovkin don't want him is his ugly unwatchable style. They would both beat him, but the fights wouldn't be entertaining.

It's obvious he wants the big money fights.

Charlo isn't really a big money fight, also, DAZN has a lot of guys from the 160 and 168 divisions.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:55

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:51 Did he call out Korobov? What about Charlo?

The reason Canelo and Golovkin don't want him is his ugly unwatchable style. They would both beat him, but the fights wouldn't be entertaining.

It's obvious he wants the big money fights.

Charlo isn't really a big money fight, also, DAZN has a lot of guys from the 160 and 168 divisions.

It is close to impossible t get really big money fights being so boring. Remember Andre Ward couldn't get big money until RN decided to give him donations.

He was offered career high money for Charlo back when Charlo was mandatory. He turned it down and dropped his belt for less money I think to fight Culcay a year and a half later. So he was fine with less money as long as the opponent was not very tough ...

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 14:13 He was offered career high money for Charlo back when Charlo was mandatory. He turned it down and dropped his belt for less money I think to fight Culcay a year and a half later. So he was fine with less money as long as the opponent was not very tough ...

Back in 2014.. it was a $300,000 purse.. Highest at the time for him yeh..

He's probably on at least $1m minimum per fight with DAZN.. Especially as long as he is a world title holder.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:55

boxing_rocks wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:51 Did he call out Korobov? What about Charlo?

The reason Canelo and Golovkin don't want him is his ugly unwatchable style. They would both beat him, but the fights wouldn't be entertaining.

It's obvious he wants the big money fights.

Charlo isn't really a big money fight, also, DAZN has a lot of guys from the 160 and 168 divisions.

Beating Charlo might get him quicker to the bigger fights.

siablo14 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 22:08

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:55

It's obvious he wants the big money fights.

Charlo isn't really a big money fight, also, DAZN has a lot of guys from the 160 and 168 divisions.

Beating Charlo might get him quicker to the bigger fights.

That’s what boxers don’t understand. Sometimes you need to beat a good boxer to get that big money fight. But maybe that’ll make him more avoided.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 04:38

siablo14 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 22:08
Beating Charlo might get him quicker to the bigger fights.

That’s what boxers don’t understand. Sometimes you need to beat a good boxer to get that big money fight. But maybe that’ll make him more avoided.

I don't know that Andrade is "avoided" exactly so much as just...nobody gives a sh*t to see him in the big fights. Because he hasn't really earned them, and he's boring to watch.

He has himself to blame as much as anyone for him not being in the big fights.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 04:44

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 04:38

That’s what boxers don’t understand. Sometimes you need to beat a good boxer to get that big money fight. But maybe that’ll make him more avoided.

I don't know that Andrade is "avoided" exactly so much as just...nobody gives a sh*t to see him in the big fights. Because he hasn't really earned them, and he's boring to watch.

He has himself to blame as much as anyone for him not being in the big fights.

How does he "earn" them, when the top guys in the division won't fight him? Has he turned down a big fight or dangerous opponent lately? We all know about his poor management when he was at 154, but the last couple of years I think he has tried to get some big fights.

Husky

I do love how boxing works.

Bulter is number 1 WBO, and hasn't fought for any of there belts... mandatories feels legit sometimes but, this feels just weird.

Bandog wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 07:48

gilgamesh wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 04:44

I don't know that Andrade is "avoided" exactly so much as just...nobody gives a sh*t to see him in the big fights. Because he hasn't really earned them, and he's boring to watch.

He has himself to blame as much as anyone for him not being in the big fights.

How does he "earn" them, when the top guys in the division won't fight him? Has he turned down a big fight or dangerous opponent lately? We all know about his poor management when he was at 154, but the last couple of years I think he has tried to get some big fights.

He has turned down some chances offered him before hasn't he? Seems like he has.

If he wants the top guys to fight him, he needs to find a way to make some noise, and make people want to see him in the big fights. Winning dull decisions ain't getting it done.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 11:57

Bandog wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 07:48

How does he "earn" them, when the top guys in the division won't fight him? Has he turned down a big fight or dangerous opponent lately? We all know about his poor management when he was at 154, but the last couple of years I think he has tried to get some big fights.

He has turned down some chances offered him before hasn't he? Seems like he has.

If he wants the top guys to fight him, he needs to find a way to make some noise, and make people want to see him in the big fights. Winning dull decisions ain't getting it done.

None that I know of in the last 2-3 years. Saunders, GGG, or Canelo didn't want to fight him apparently. A risk vs reward thing? I think he should push hard for Charlo to get more credibility.
Sometimes boring sells, if you're good enough, like Floyd was. Andrade has a ways to go obviously. A 6'1" southpaw with great skills isn't a 1at choice for most.

So this fight isn’t gonna happen.

Instead Butler will challenge Murata for the WBA reg belt in December.