Andrade feels Golden

By InsideFighting Wire

Reigning AIBA World welterweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade is prospecting for gold in China. The 20-year-old from Providence isn’t there to visit the The Great Wall, purchase a Ming vase in the Temple of Heaven, picnic in Tian’anmen Square, or cruise down the Yangtze River.Andrade is Team USA’s most promising hope to medal in the Olympic boxing competition. “It’s crazy,” he said right before leaving Colorado Springs training camp, “but everything’s good. I’m relaxed, stayed out of the public eye, and have remained focused on winning a gold medal. I’m not happy just being in The Olympics, or even winning a silver or bronze medal; I’m going for gold.”

The Olympic draw doesn’t matter to him because Demetrious believes he’s the best 152-pound amateur in the world. He defeated Boonjumnong and Kilicci in the World Championships. “Nobody they put in front of me can beat me,” a confident Andrade offered. “Only the judges can beat me and I’m not going to let them. I’m going to take the other fighters and judges out of it by beating my opponents so badly that they can’t take a decision away from me. I’ll stay on the outside, use my tough defense, and not allow any cheap shots. I’ve been fighting internationally for awhile and I’ve been robbed a few times. But I can’t let anybody beat me in The Olympics.“I’d prefer to get the tougher guys out early – second or third round – and have one less contender for the medal rounds. I really don’t know or care who I draw. Everybody else is fighting for second place.”
Proud to represent the red, white and blue, “Boo Boo” has dreamed about boxing in the Olympics since he first laced-up a pair of gloves. He is a two-time U.S. National Championships winner and double National Golden Gloves champion who cruised through the U.S. Boxing Trials preceding the World Championships.