A little more than month after registering on national television the most significant victory of his young pro boxing career, undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius“Boo Boo” Andrade (14-0, 9 KOs) returns Wednesday, September 21 to headline the 10th annual Fight To Educate at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Andrade, fighting out of Providence, won a commanding, one-sided win by unanimous decision this past August 19th against The Contender, Season 2 winner Grady Brewer, winning nine of 10 rounds on all three of the judges’ scorecards. The 23-year-old Andrade, universally regarded as one of the top prospects in the world, has cracked the ratings at No. 3 in the North American Boxing Federation and No. 15 by the United States Boxing Association.
A year ago, the gifted light middleweight fought on the Fight To Educate card, stopping Dave Sanders in the second round. Andrade takes on former two-time world title challenger Saul “Baby” Duran (38-18-2, 31 KOs) in this year’s 10-round main event.
Another familiar figure in action Sept. 21 will be 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Alternate Danny O’Connor (14-1, 3 KOs), who will face dangerous light welterweight Jamal Del Cid (7-5, 3 KOs) in the six-round co-feature.
O’Connor made his pro debut in the 2008 Fight To Educate card and the Framingham, Mass. Light welterweight has become a fixture in Manchester with this being his fourth straight year fighting in the charity fundraiser event.
Upset specialist Jose “Stinger” Medina (14-9-1, 6 KOs), from Tilton (NH), will also be in action versus an opponent to be determined in a six-round light middleweight bout. Medina, a native of Mexico, is coming off a controversial eight-round draw against former world champion Joachim Alcine, in which most observers felt Medina deserved a victory. In January, Medina scored a shocking fourth-round knockout of 17-1 Isaac Rodrigues.
Fighting on the undercard in four-round matches are Claremont (NH) lightweight Dan Powers (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Luis Rosario, and Windsor (VT) welterweight Chris Gilbert (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Noel Garcia.
Fight To Educate is a unique charity event that combines a love of sports with the vision of assisting children and seniors in need, who with fundraisers like this could be ‘down for the count.’ During the past nine years, Fight To Educate has raised more than $500,000 in donations benefitting local New Hampshire non-profit organizations.
Proceeds from the 10th annual Fight To Educate will benefit SEE Science Center (www.see-sciencecenter.org), The Bobby Stephens Fund for Education (www.stepheneducationfund.com), and St. Joseph Community Services/Meals on Wheels (www.mealsonwheelsnh.org).
Tickets, priced at $50.00 and $25.00 (general admission), are available to purchase by going online at www.ticketmaster.com, calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000, or at the Verizon Wireless Arena Box Office or any Ticketmaster location.
Table tickets for a night of professional boxing and Black Tie dinner, as well as an auction and meet-and-greet with special boxing legends such as former world heavyweight title challenger “Gentleman” Gerry Cooney, as well as world champions and three of New England’s all-time greatest boxers – Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Paz,“Irish” Micky Ward and John “The Quietman” Ruiz – are available by calling Stephen Singer at 603.669.4100.
