Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with an exciting pro boxing card featuring a legitimate star-in-the-making, undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, on Saturday night, May 5 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Light middleweight contender Andrade (16-0, 11 KOs) faces The Contender, Season Two participant Rudy Cisneros (12-3, 11 KOs) in the 10-round main event, which will air live (10-11 PM / ET) as an ESPN Boxing: FNF Special Edition presented by Corona Extra.
After the live boxing concludes, fans in attendance will have the added enjoyment of watching a closed circuit showing of the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Miguel Cotto fight on Mohegan Sun Arena’s jumbo screen.
“Demetrius Andrade has clearly graduated from prospect to contender,” Star Boxing president Joe DeGuardia said. “He’s getting close to a world title shot. We’re very happy to be back at one of the best venues in boxing, Mohegan Sun Arena, where Demetrius has become a genuine house favorite. Fans there can watch an entertaining live card, plus Mayweather-Cotto without leaving the comfort of their seats. I think ESPN showcasing Demetrius on a special Saturday night broadcast is a strong indication of how highly he’s respected in the boxing world as a potential star.”
The 24-year-old Andrade has been rising in world light middleweight ratings, recently moving to No. 6 in the World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) and No. 7 in the International Boxing Federation (“IBF”), as well as No. 15 in the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) and World Boxing Association (“WBA”).
Fighting out of nearby Providence, Andrade was a 2007 World amateur champion who will be fighting at Mohegan Sun for the sixth time. The gifted Cape Verdean boxer is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions
Andrade has been favorably compared to a younger, heavier, left-handed Mayweather due to their similar boxing styles, featuring lightning-quick feet and hands, incredible defensive reflexes and strings of dominant victories. “Boo Boo” has stopped of 11 of 16 opponents, collectively winning 57 of 61 rounds fought on the judges’ scorecards.
In his last fight February 10 at Mohegan Sun, Andrade absolutely smoked Angel Hernandez (30-10), stopping the former world title challenger in the second round, coming on the heels of solid back-to-back victories against former world title challenger Saul Duran (TKO3) and veteran Grady Brewer, winner of The Contender II television reality series.
The subject of a feature story in the current edition of The Ring Magazine, Andrade is a multi-gifted southpaw who is co-promoted by Star Boxing and Banner Promotions.
The May 5th supporting fights will include some of New England’s most popular boxers. The eight-round co-feature marks the long-anticipated return of Hartford fan favorite Addy Irizarry (8-5, 2 KOs), who has been sideline since November 20, 2010, after suffering a fractured ankle during a first-round loss to former International Female Boxing Association (“IFBA”) World welterweight champion Jill Emery. Irizarry faces Victoria Cisneros.
Undercard fighters include Hartford super featherweight Joseph “Chip” Perez (7-1, 2 KOs) vs. Juan Jaramillo (8-9-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout, as well as Hartford light heavyweight Tylon “Shadow Boi” Burris (1-0, 1 KO vs. pro debuting Robert Jackson, Springfield (MA) light heavyweight Reinaldo Graceski (1-0) vs. Borngood Washington, and Windsor (VT) light middleweight Chris Gilbert (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. TBA in four-round matches.
Tickets are $75.00, $40.00 and $30.00 (plus $5.00 facility fee for all tickets) and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.
