Tag: Maciej Sulecki
Andrade to Canelo: ‘Forget the WBC sh**; whatever that ‘Franchise’ belt is; let’s unify this division’
Demetrius Andrade produced a dominant performance in shutting out Maciej Sulecki to defend his WBO World Middleweight title for the second time against Maciej Sulecki at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Andrade boxed in his hometown of Providence for the first time and made an instant impact in front of a 7,136 crowd, putting Sulecki down inside the opening minute with a left hook, raising a raucous crowd to their feet.
The champion rained heavy artillery on to the challenger throughout while showing his full arsenal of skills, with his supremacy reflected in the scorecards as all three judges gave him the fight 120-107 and the 31 year old reiterated his desire to lock horns with Mexican ace Canelo Alvarez next.
“Providence, Rhode Island, that’s what I am talking about, baby,” said Andrade. “Sulecki was a great fighter. A top ten guy, he came after it all night and let me utilize my tools. I gave people another great 12 rounds of boxing. I used my jab. Sulecki is no pushover. He ain’t no Steve Rolls, ain’t no Rocky Fielding. So Canelo, where your cajones at? Let’s get it.
“Forget the WBC sh**; whatever that ‘Franchise’ belt is; Let’s go, Canelo. Let’s unify this division. Let’s have one champion. It’s right here. Let’s do it. No more running, no more games, let’s put it all on the line and see who is the best. Mano y Mano. Viva Mexico!
“I am the best out here. He stepped up to the plate. Sulecki was a tough guy. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. He came to fight though, and I did what I had to do, and that looks pretty. Tall, black, handsome. Alto, Moreno, guapo. Your boy. It’s me again. See you in September!
“No excuses in there. I kind of felt something going on with my body during training camp so I utilized what I can and did what I did. I looked good doing it. My legs were bothering me for a while after a few rounds. My dad told me to take it easy and told me to give them what they came here to see, and that’s the sweet science of boxing.
“If you want to say you’re a legend and you’re the top guy, then you need to come this way. There’s no other way. I don’t want to fight the bottom guys. Sulecki is a top 10 guy; there are no more. I keep beating them; I keep beating them, I just keep beating them. I didn’t look past Sulecki; I just knew I was going to beat him.”
Photo/courtesy: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing
Hearn: Canelo should fight the winner of Andrade-Sulecki
WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade has become a very active fighter, and on Saturday, Andrade will be fighting for the third time in eight months. Before signing with Matchroom Boxing last summer, Andrade had not fought since 2017.
Now, Andrade(27-0, 17 KOs) has a belt and is looking to do big things at 160. On Saturday, he will make his second middleweight title defense, in his hometown, against Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11 KOs) at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, and live exclusively on DAZN.
“One thing that we have promised Andrade and his team is activity,” Hearn said on Thursday. “This is his third fight in eight months, and I believe we will see a very special performance from him. In Sulecki, he brings it every single time. He is in great fights. He has a chance to thrust himself into life-changing, legacy fights with a win here. He will do everything he can to beat Demetrius on Saturday night because he understands those odds.”
Canelo Alvarez has all the belts at 160, except for one, and that is WBO belt that is held by Andrade. Therefore, it’s only logical that the winner of Andrade-Sulecki should fight Alvarez next, so says Andrade’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.
“Everyone keeps talking about Canelo-GGG for September,” Hearn said on Thursday. “I understand that people are interested in seeing that fight again, but what about Canelo against the winner of this fight for the undisputed status? That’s the biggest fight to make at middleweight.”
Andrade might not be the biggest fight for Canelo, but it is a fight that puts him in control of all the belts, so what that being said, Canelo should fight the winner of Andrade-Sulecki next. However, don’t be surprised if that does not happen.
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Andrade: ‘I’ve been through the politics of boxing and found my way out of it’
Demetrius Andrade believes his big homecoming night will be the perfect showcase to secure blockbuster fights as he defends his WBO World Middleweight title against Maciej Sulecki on Saturday June 29 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Andrade (27-0 17 KOs) fights at home for the first time as a World champion in the second defense of the 160l-pound crown he landed in Boston in October against Walter Kautondokwa and then stopped Artur Akavov in New York in January in his first defense.
The two-weight World ruler now gets the chance to thrill his hometown fans against Sulecki (28-1 11 KOs), the Pole that landed the clash coming out on top of a rollercoaster clash with Gabriel Rosado in March – and believes that a stand-out performance as a hometown headliner will see him land the fights that he craves with Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
“Fighting at home is really exciting,” said Andrade. “In a way it’s more exciting for the fans in Providence as I’ve fought all over the world already. So, to give my hometown the chance to watch me display my skills, talent, work ethic is going to be great for them – they’re going to see greatness from one of their own. I’ve got two full passports from travelling the world and it’s a privilege to do that, to see the world and learn and gain experience, so to come home for such a big fight is great.
“I’m an Olympian and a two-weight World champion, but that’s not enough because there’s a lot of people that haven’t seen my talent displayed in the mainstream like some other fighters, like Canelo Alvarez, as Golden Boy did a great job moving him and GGG had great promotion too, but they’re not the greatest talents out there, they are just the most popular. It’s called prize fighting and I am looking to capitalize on that, with the capital.
“I’ve got air in me now. Should I have been the guy like Canelo with the machine behind him? Yeah, I could’ve been that, but it didn’t fall that way for me, but now I’m here. I kept my focus in mind, body and soul and continued to grind, because anyone else, this boxing game is hard and people give up, especially when there’s no money coming in as you have to pay the bills.
“I’ve been through the politics of boxing and found my way out of it, just like I’ve found my way to win in every fight. Being who I am and having the team around me has got me to the point where I’m headlining the Dunk as an undefeated World champion.
“Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing USA have realized the talent and the character that I am, and DAZN are doing a great job too, giving the different characters in the sport the exposure so that people can tune in outside the people we already know. Through the obstacles I’ve been through, they tried to sweep me under the rug, I got back up, wiped off the dirt and it’s me again.
“To be the first Cape Verdean as an undisputed champion would be history and the same for New England, we’ve only really had Vinny Paz and that was 30 years ago. I’m continuing to catapult myself to be the best I can and set the bar high for others.”
Andrade’s clash with Sulecki is part of a blockbuster night of World championship boxing as Briton’s Kal Yafai defends his WBA World Super-Flyweight title against mandatory challenger Norbelto Jimenez and former Heavyweight king Joseph Parker takes on Australian former World title challenger Alex Leapai.
Boston’s Mark DeLuca faces Canadian Brandon Brewer over ten rounds at Super-Welterweight, young talents Alexis Espino and Raymond Ford taste their third action in the paid ranks, local favorite Anthony Marsella faces Jose Aubel, with another unbeaten Providence fighter Anthony Concepcion also featuring.
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Sulecki: Andrade is a weak middleweight
Maciej Sulecki has branded Demetrius Andrade as one of the ‘weakest Middleweights’ as he plots to rip the WBO World title from him at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday June 29, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Sulecki (28-1 11 KOs) travels to the champion’s backyard for his first World title challenge as Andrade (27-0 17 KOs) puts his strap on the line for the second time.
The Pole landed the clash having seen off Gabriel Rosado in a wild clash for the WBO International title in Philadelphia in March, where he floored Rosado in the first and eighth rounds but then hit the canvas twice in the ninth before winning on points after ten.
Sulecki, who previously went the distance with former two-time World ruler Daniel Jacobs, showed he has grit as well as talent in that battle with Rosado, and the 30 year old believes that he’s the first real fighter that Andrade has faced and that the champion is in for a shock next weekend.
“I am very happy I got this fight,” said Sulecki. “Daniel Jacobs was much better than Andrade – Andrade’s one of the weakest Middleweights out there in my eyes. I know for sure that I’m going to put on a great fight and show it off. I know he’s a great fighter but he hasn’t fought anybody. He’s fought Jack Culcay who is no one, and I will show the world who I am and what I can do inside that ring.
“The Rosado fight was going to plan until the 8th round, after that things changed. It was a good learning experience and now especially since I’m fighting the champion next. I watched the fight at home and I said to myself ‘What an idiot. What did I do?’ It was a very good lesson, it was two rounds that made me a better man.
“I believe the fans will come out for this fight. I remember people like Adamek, who had a great following behind them. That’s what I want too, I want that good feeling.
“It’s only talk in the press conferences and on social media, on fight night, the fists will do the talking. Talk is cheap. He’s World champion and he’s very good so he’s confident, but I am very confident too and I hope he’s ready for what I am bringing to the ring as he’s never fought anyone like me.”
Sulecki’s clash with Andrade is part of a blockbuster night of action as unbeaten Briton Kal Yafai puts his WBA Super-Flyweight title against mandatory challenger Norbelto Jimenez and former Heavyweight king Joseph Parker takes on Australian former World title challenger Alex Leapai.
Boston’s Mark DeLuca faces Canadian Brandon Brewer over ten rounds at Super-Welterweight, young talents Alexis Espino and Raymond Ford taste their third action in the paid ranks, local favorite Anthony Marsella faces Jose Aubel, with another unbeaten Providence fighter Anthony Concepcion also featuring.
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Andrade on Sulecki: ‘I’ve got an answer for everything he brings and this is my time’
Demetrius Andrade and Maciej Sulecki came face-to-face for the first time as they prepare to clash in Andrade’s first hometown fight and second defense of his WBO World Middleweight title at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday June 29, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Andrade (27-0 17 KOs) has had to wait to top the bill in his Providence backyard but does so in the most important fight of his spotless career – with promoter Eddie Hearn rightly calling ‘Boo Boo’s’ WBO strap the missing piece of the undisputed puzzle at 160.
The two-time two-weight World ruler has made no secret of his desire to fight WBA, WBC, IBF and Ring magazine king Canelo Alvarez for all the marbles, so victory against the rugged Pole is a must on June 29.
Sulecki (28-1 11 KOs) has promised to rip the title from Andrade and launch himself into that A1 position himself, and the 30 year old showed both his ability, desire and heart in a rollercoaster clash with Gabriel Rosado in Philadelphia in March.
That win landed Sulecki the shot at Andrade, but the champion believes that this is a breakout fight for him and the challengers style will provide him with the perfect showcase for his undisputed credentials.
“It’s that time – Providence, Rhode Island – wow,” said Andrade. “It’s my homecoming, it’s an exciting moment for me, my family and my team. It’s a great honor to be headlining at home.
“Maciej is a good fighter, there’s no doubt. He’s had some tough grueling fights, he’s shown balls to win, but on June 29 that won’t happen. I’ve got an answer for everything he brings and this is my time – he’s got this far, but he goes no further – no one is stopping this train.
“I’ve been through a lot, people see me smiling but I’ve had to fight hard to be World champion, twice, and now I’ve got the chance to show my people what I do. The wolf is coming out, I’m breaking bones and biting hard – Sulecki comes to fight ad that’s what I want, he’s going to show my skills off and show that I am the man in this division.”
“I want to thank the Polish fans and American fans for supporting me,” said Sulecki. “I am here because I want to win this fight and I will be 100 per cent ready. He’s a good fighter, a two-time World champion, but he’s not boxed anyone as good as me. It’s my dream to be World champion and on June 29 that dream comes true.”
“The WBO is the final link to undisputed,” said Hearn. “There’s a guy called Canelo with the other belts but you cannot be undisputed without this belt, and the winner on June 29 takes a step closer to being undisputed.
“Demetrius has been searching for that fighter that comes to fight – and Maciej comes to fight every time. He will never, ever go into his shell, he’s coming to fight for every second of the 12 three-minute World championship rounds.
“I have wanted to bring a fight to Dunkin’ Donuts since we signed Demetrius and this is the first World title fight in Rhode Island in 28 years – we need the city to get behind this event and this great Providence fighter, this is your opportunity to come out and support an elite fighter that is one of your own.
“There will be a great undercard announced next week in support of this brilliant World title fight, with another World title fight and a big Heavyweight title fight plus lots of young talents and local favorites.”
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Andrade-Sulecki set for June 29 in Providence
Demetrius Andrade will defend his WBO World Middleweight title against Maciej Sulecki on Saturday June 29 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Andrade (27-0 17 KOs) defends his title for the second time in his first ever hometown show having seen off the challenge of Artur Akavov with a final round stoppage in New York in January, having become a two-weight World ruler in October in Boston, landing the vacant strap with a wide points win over rugged South African Walter Kautondokwa.
Sulecki (28-1 11 KOs) enters the bout on the back of a thrilling encounter with Gabriel Rosado in Philadelphia in March, edging out the local favorite in a back-and-forth classic for the WBO International title. The Pole, ranked number three with the WBO, fights for a World title for the first time in his career, but has already served notice of his threat level having taken IBF king Daniel Jacobs the distance when they met in April 2018.
Andrade announced the fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as Jacobs and Canelo Alvarez meet in a unification blockbuster live on DAZN – and the 31 year old knows that dispatching Sulecki on his home turf is the last obstacle for an undisputed fight against tonight’s winner.
“After tonight, there will be one guy with three of the belts, and I’ve got the fourth,” said Andrade. “Both guys (Alvarez and Jacobs) have been very vocal about wanting to unify after this fight, so let’s make it happen.
“We all feel that we are the best in the division, and there is only one way to find that out. I wish both Canelo and Danny well tonight, but they better know I’m there watching with a purpose.
“Sulecki is one of the top guys in the division, and his only loss is to Danny, in a fight where he gave Danny problems. You can’t overlook this guy. He has earned this shot, and I am expecting him to bring it. That being said, I am the best 160-pounder in the sport, and I plan on showing every single aspect of that come June 29. This is my time.”
“Last Thursday I turned 30, so to fight for a World title is the best birthday gift for me,” said Sulecki. “I am in the most important moment of my career. I believe I can win and all the best is ahead of me. I think next five years can be the best in my boxing life so I must grasp it.”
“Demetrius is in the most golden position ever,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “You are the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle for the undisputed title. So just keep winning. Sulecki will give him a chance to look good, in my opinion. He needs a fighter that comes to fight.
“Hopefully, we can fill up the Dunkin Donuts Center and make it a big deal, and he can start getting some credibility and profile and say, ‘I’m not just a B-side. I’m the link to the undisputed title.’”
An announcement on ticket sales will be made next week.
Photo: Matchroom Boxing
Hearn: Winner of Rosado-Sulecki likely for Andrade
The Middleweight clash between Gabriel Rosado and Maciej Sulecki on Friday night (March 15) at the Liacouras Center, Philadelphia live on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports in the UK, has extra spice added to it as promoter Eddie Hearn announced that the winner is likely to face WBO kingpin Demetrius Andrade in June.
Rosado and Sulecki promised to be a war from the get-go when the fight was announced in January, but now the WBO International title will be on the line, and with that, a likely shot at Rhode Island star Andrade in the summer.
Rosado (24-11-1 14 KOs) is back in action following his closely fought draw with Luis Arias in Mulvane, Kansas in November – another contentious fight for the Philly favorite who will now be chasing a third World title shot in his first fight on home turf in seven years.
Sulecki (27-1 11 KOs) is hunting a first World title shot having returned to winning ways in November with a second round stoppage of Jean Michel Hamilcaro in his native Poland. The 29 year old gave Daniel Jacobs a stern test in April before the Brooklyn man moved on to become a two-weight World ruler, and Sulecki will believe that experience will serve him against Rosado.
WBO ruler Andrade defended his title live on DAZN in January against Artur Akavov at Madison Square Garden in New York, and the streaming giants rubber-stamped their status as the home of the elite Middleweights by adding Kazakh star Gennady Golovkin to the phenomenal roster of 160lbers, with Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs clashing in a unification blockbuster on DAZN on May 4 in Las Vegas.
“I’m pretty sure that the winner of Saturday’s fight will be the next opponent for Demetrius in June,” said Hearn. “It’s a massive fight for Gabe and Maciej – we know that DAZN is the home of the Middleweights and these two have the opportunity on Friday to unlock the door to the big time.
“I expect an absolute war between both men, I think it could be fight of the night and on this card, that’s saying something!”
Rosado’s clash with Sulecki is part of a huge night of action in Philadelphia on St Patrick’s weekend topped by a World title double-header as Philly’s Tevin Farmer (28-4-1 6 KOs) comes home to defend his IBF Super-Featherweight title against Ireland’s Jono Carroll (16-0-1 3 KOs), and Irish sensation Katie Taylor (12-0 5 KOs) looks to unify the Lightweight division once again, putting her IBF and WBA straps on the line against Brazil’s WBO champion Rose Volante (14-0 8 KOs).
Philly Lightweight’s Hank Lundy (29-7-1 14 KOs) and Avery Sparrow (9-1 3 KOs) battle for local pride, Olympic gold medal pair Luke Campbell MBE (19-2 15 KOs) and Daniyar Yeleussinov (5-0 3 KOs) and silver medalist John Joe Nevin (11-0 4 KOs) taste their first action of 2019, unbeaten Super-Middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (19-0 12 KOs) faces Victor Fonseca (17-9-1 14 KOs) while exciting New Jersey amateur star Raymond Ford makes his pro debut.
Photo: Matchroom Boxing