Report- Demetrius Andrade To Vacate WBO Middleweight Title

Frustration has surrounded unbeaten WBO Middleweight champ Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade on quality of opponents. And, now it’s reached the point that he’s apparently going to vacate his version of the 160 lb. championship.

SI and DAZN Boxing insider Chris Mannix reported on social media Wednesday afternoon that Andrade will be moving up to Super Middleweight in hopes of securing the WBO #1 ranking for Undisputed champ Canelo Alvarez’s version of the belt,

Demetrius Andrade intends to vacate his 160-pound title and move up to 168, sources told @SInow. Andrade's team is working on completing a deal to face Zach Parker, with the winner to become the mandatory for the super middleweight title held by Canelo Alvarez.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) January 26, 2022

Andrade (31-0, 19 KOS) is coming off two rounds of quick work against Ireland’s Jason Quigley in New Hampshire in November. It was an impressive performance for Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing main event, as Andrade headlined in his native New England region.

And, as we wrote previously, Andrade was slated to meet Kazak Janibek Alimkhanuly in a mandatory defense later this Spring. And, that bout was to have had a purse bid take place this Friday at the WBO headquarters in Puerto Rico.

Alimkhanuly earned this thru the WBO after winning the title eliminator, stopping Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam back on November 20 on the Terence Crawford-Shawn Porter undercard. Alimkhanuly is 11-0, 7 KOs and previously stopped former WBA Middleweight Champ Rob Brant in June of last year, as well.

In the curious and often contradictory/corrupt world of rankings and mandatories, Alimkhanuly is ranked #2 at 160 lb. by the WBO. However, the top contender and former WBO Jr. Middleweight title holder, unbeaten Jaime Mungia, has not been ordered (for over a year) to fight Andrade or else.

This has continued to frustrate Andrade, as he seeks a larger profile fight and payday. The southpaw star has also been unable to attract a bout with the legendary Canelo Alvarez at either 160 lb. or 168 lb. Canelo famously “shooed” him out of his winning presser last May after having kayoed England’s Billy Joe Saunders in Arlington, TX.

Now, as Mannix is reporting, Andrade is looking to attempt to force Canelo’s hand on a mandatory defense by fighting for the #1 spot at 168 lb. with the 22-0, 16 KOs, Brit Parker, who has built up his resume with bouts primarily in the U.K.