While most of the focus of the Boxing world this week has been focused on the two marquee attractions that will take place on July 25th, the return of Anthony Joshua against Kristian Prenga and the return of Errol Spence against Tim Tszyu in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Sydney, Australia respectively, there is another former world champion that will be making his return to action. This observer is referring to former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade, who will compete in a ten round Super-Middleweight bout on Friday, July 24th against veteran Douglas Ataide of Brazil. A bout that will headline a card promoted by promoter Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports CES Boxing at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. and can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.
This will mark the first bout for Andrade in nearly three years since suffering the first defeat of his career to David Benavidez in September 2023. There was a time prior that fight where Andrade was regarded as one of the more avoided fighters in the sport due in part to his Boxing style that at times can be viewed as awkward and not always crowd pleasing, which prior to the bout with Benavidez, seemed to keep him from getting a marquee bout against a fighter regarded as one of the stars in the sport, most notably a desired bout against Saul “Canelo" Alvarez, which never came to fruition. One could make an argument that taking that fight against Benavidez, another fighter that has developed a reputation in some circles as also an avoided fighter, was a gamble that if he were successful would have likely led to a bout with Alvarez.
Unfortunately for Andrade, he was simply overwhelmed in that fight before being stopped in the sixth round. Although losing one fight does not and should not define a fighter’s whole career, especially a fighter who's won two world titles as Andrade, there can be at times a lack of acknowledgement as to what the physical toll of that kind of fight can take on a fighter and likely played a part in Andrade’s extended absence from competition.
The story of this fight will be what Andrade, now age thirty-eight, has left following that layoff and the effects of that fight with Benavidez. In Douglas Ataide, Andrade (32-1, with 19 Knockouts) will face a veteran of twenty+six professional fights. Ataide, however, (20-5-1, with 11 Knockouts) would seem to be picked as an opponent for Andrade based largely on his not being able to succeed when he has stepped up in caliber of competition with his only notable opponent being former WBA Middleweight world champion Ryota Murata, who stopped him in five rounds in 2015.
The key for Ataide in this fight, which is a significant step up in opposition compared to his recent opponents, will be to try and apply pressure on Andrade early. Benavidez was able to systematically walk and break Andrade drown and even though Ataide is not similar in style or skillset as more of a boxer than Benavidez, the unknown here is how Andrade will respond if put under consistent pressure as he was in that fight.
It is logical to think that if Andrade is successful in this bout, he will look to get back into the mix of the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. After three years out of the ring, however, priority number one should be to work off the “Ring Rust" and if he's able to perform well in this bout, look to stay busy with another fight before the end of the year and into 2027. We'll see what happens in this fight before what follows can be discussed further.
“And That's The Boxing Truth."
CES Boxing: Andrade vs. Ataide takes place on Friday, July 24th at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT.
*North American Start Times Only.*
*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*
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