By Dan Ambrose: Demetrius Andrade says he wants Jermell Charlo to move up to 160 to challenge him for his WBO title and then Jermall Charlo afterward. Andrade (31-0, 19 KOs) wants to take the scalps from both of the Charlo brothers while he waits for Canelo Alvarez to look his way for a “payday” fight.
It’s highly unlikely Jermell, 31, will agree to take a risky fight with Demetrius, even though the two were both fighting in the same weight class at 154 not long ago. Jermell can’t use weight classes as an excuse not to fight Demetrius because he only recently moved up to 160.
Thus far, Canelo is showing zero interest in facing the unbeaten former two-division world champion Andrade, surprisingly calling him a “horrible fighter” and then turning around and facing Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant, who is arguably nowhere near as talented.
IBF/WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell (34-1-1, 18 KOs) will be facing WBO 154-lb champion Brian Carlos Castano in a rematch in early 2022 after the two fought to a controversial 12 round draw last July in San Antonio, Texas.
As lucky as Jermall was to be given a draw against Castano, the chances are he’ll lose the rematch, which will be taking place in Charlo’s backyard in Houston, Texas.
As for WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs), he’s been busy milking his title against weak opposition while seemingly waiting for Canelo to look his way for a huge $10 million+ payday fight.
Demetrius wants Charlo or Canelo next
“Payday, payday, my friend,” said Demetrius Andrade to Fighthype when told that he should fight Canelo Alvarez next. “We need it, that’s it. Because of the network and all that stuff, of course, GGG, but we’re going to apply all the pressure we can and try to get the Charlo fight.
“Besides that, the people that are not champions. There’s [Jaime] Munguia. He’s my mandatory for many years now, saying, ‘No.’ He’s someone that has a light, and I have a light. It’ll be a great fight.
When asked when he’s going to fight Jermall Charlo, Andrade gestured to let fans know that the unification match will make money.
“154 or 168, I’m willing to get in there with any of them. I can’t make 154 anymore,” said Demetrius. “I used to be 154. Now that I’m getting older, I’m willing to climb to the top to fight the best in the middleweight division from 154 to 168.
“David Benavidez is definitely a great fighter, and somebody I’m saying in the future can happen, but that doesn’t make me a three-division world champion at that point,” said Andrade.
It’s safe to say that Canelo WON’T fight Demetrius ever because he’s been taking easy fights since his controversial 12 round majority decision win over Gennadiy Golovkin in 2018.
Canelo is currently waiting to take another soft target in WBC cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu next May, provided the champion defeats his mandatory Thabiso Mchunu on January 29th.
Andrade ready for Jermell, then Jermall
“I have to move in a strategic manner too. I’d like to fight Charlo’s little brother [Jermell] first,” said Demetrius. “Afterward, both of them. For me to make any other move, we’re going to give you two blockbusters. Charlo-Andrade, Charlo-Andrade.
“Charlo or big Charlo [Jermall], whichever wants to come first,” said Demetrius. “154 Charlo [Jermell], you got made s***, why don’t you come up to the 160-pound weight class and try to become a two-division world champion? I have it.
“Charlo is trying to find a way NOT to make fights happen to keep his belt. Do you want payday, real payday and do you want to challenge against a guy that everybody thinks is going to give you a hard time.
“Let that pass and fight the champ [Andrade] and unify the division. I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m a horrible fighter.
“I’ve been calling him out for a long time. Munguia has been my mandatory for ten years now. GGG, I would love to get in the ring with him. It would be an honor to get in the ring with GGG,” said Demetrius.
Jermell looked terrible against Castano, and he was equally bad in his loss to Tony Harrison in 2018. It’s unlikely Jermell will agree to fight Demetrius because he knows what will happen.