BoxRec

Demetrius Andrade to end two-and-a-half year layoff

Demetrius Andrade is done sitting on the sidelines.

The former two-division champion has been out of action since suffering the first defeat of his career, a sixth-round stoppage against David Benavidez in November 2023. Now, he’ll officially return on July 24 as the headliner for CES Boxing’s Championship Jackpot against an opponent TBD at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Although he’s been inactive over the last few years, Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) has called out some of the game’s best, including Caleb Plant, Jermall Charlo and Canelo Alvarez.

Andrade, a former 2008 Olympian, doesn’t believe any of the notable names either in or around the super middleweight division want to fight him.

Unfortunately for the 38-year-old, big fights have eluded him. However, on the biggest night of his career, Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) prevented him from becoming a three-division champ.

Shortly after that defeat, Andrade admitted that Benavidez’s size, not skills, was overwhelming. But with Benavidez now campaigning several weight classes above Andrade as a full-fledged cruiserweight, he’s hoping to take advantage of the final few years of his career and recapture his championship status.

Demetrius Andrade has always marketed himself as a fearsome and avoided fighter, but he’s rejected bouts against the likes of: Jermell Charlo, Jermall Charlo, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Matt Korobov, the winner of the Lara-Hurd title unification, Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (twice) and Zach Parker (twice). He also once admitted he wasn't ready to face Billy Joe Saunders at super-middleweight.

Anyway, I'm predicting that the 'King of the Tune-up's', Demetrius Andrade, will soon admit he needs yet another couple of tune-up's prior to facing anyone half-decent.

Eolaithe wrote: ↑07 Jun 2026, 09:39 Demetrius Andrade has always marketed himself as a fearsome and avoided fighter, but he’s rejected bouts against the likes of: Jermell Charlo, Jermall Charlo, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Matt Korobov, the winner of the Lara-Hurd title unification, Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (twice) and Zach Parker (twice). He also once admitted he wasn't ready to face Billy Joe Saunders at super-middleweight.

Anyway, I'm predicting that the 'King of the Tune-up's', Demetrius Andrade, will soon admit he needs yet another couple of tune-up's prior to facing anyone half-decent.

Unfortunately, I think your prediction will end up being prophetic, and we'll see Andrade in a series of fights against low-level, no-threat competition, followed by more claims of being avoided.

Can't believe he is 38. What a waste of talent. Hope he made some money

Demetrius Andrade wants to continue fighting past 40

Demetrius Andrade doesn’t want to be judged on his last performance.

For the first time in his career, Andrade exited a boxing ring without a victory. That stoppage loss to David Benavidez in 2023, however, is in the rearview mirror.

Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) is now preparing for a return on July 24 at at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

His upcoming opponent hasn’t been revealed just yet. But Andrade admitted that this is more of a tune-up bout to shake the rust off. So what exactly can he prove against a likely inferior opponent?

“I'm still an elite fighter,” Andrade told The Ring. “And I’m going to prove that next. I’ve been elite my entire life. And yeah, I do have that one defeat to David Benavidez, but that doesn’t mean I’m not elite. I’m gonna show that I’m still one of the best fighters in the world in my next fight.”

Getting the win is a formality in Andrade’s mind, but from there, he wants, or better yet, needs, activity.

At the age of 38, though, Andrade no longer has time on his side. Or does he? Although most fighters call it a career by the time they reach their late 30s, the former two-division champion and 2008 Olympian isn’t close to walking away just yet.

“I would fight into my 40s,” Andrade continued. “Look, we’ve seen plenty of great fighters do it. George Foreman, Bernard Hopkins. We see Floyd Mayweather coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao and he’s also in his 40s. I haven’t taken any real damage and the only hard fight I've been in was my last one. I’m well preserved and I’m not damaged goods. Fighting into my 40s should be a problem for me.”