Joe DeGuardia CEO of Star Boxing and Art Pelullo’s Banner Promotions have signed U.S. Olympic team member and reigning World Amateur Champion Demetrius Andrade to an exclusive multi year fight contract. The 20- year-old Andrade from Providence, RI is the boxer widely regarded as the number one pro prospect from this year’s Olympic Team. Andrade was chosen by many to be team USA’s best shot at winning a gold medal going into the games but questionable scoring, and a highly controversial decision in the quarterfinals at the games ended the well decorated amateur’s dreams of capturing gold. Even though Andrade didn’t get the decision, anyone who saw him fight could see that he has all the goods to become a professional world champion. NBC’s Teddy Atlas, who was providing television commentary for the games, repeatedly spoke very highly of the young Andrade, saying over and over again that his style will fit even better in the pros.
As an amateur Andrade was a two-time Golden Gloves Champion, and two-time National Champion, he won the silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games and he won the 2007 World Championship, the first American boxer to do so since 1999.
ANDRADE WITH JOE DEGUARDIA AND ART PELULLO
DeGuardia is thrilled to be adding Andrade to his Star Boxing roster. “Demetrius was hands down the best fighter at the Olympics and best amateur prospect I have seen in a long time. I have been following Demetrius for a longtime and we are very excited he has chosen us to be an integral part of his promotional team to lead him in his professional career. Demetrius is a big strong kid with very fast hands and devastating power. He reminds me of a cross between Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns with his lean body frame, quick hands and one punch knockout power. We are working on some things for Demetrius already and expect to have him fighting before the new year. We are confident that Demetrius is going to do some very big and exciting things in his boxing career and we feel that he has the ability and skills to be a world champion for a very long time,” said DeGuardia.
“I think he’s going to be something special,” Pelullo said. “I really believe he has the talent to become a star like De La Hoya or Mayweather but with his own style. His skills are already more advanced than his peers. He’s young, he’s smart and I like him and his family. He will be a big star. He has that confident swagger and the more time I spend with him the more I like him.”
Demetrius, whose dream has been to become a world champion since he first started boxing when he was just six years old, stated he is very excited to be working with Star Boxing and Banner Promotions and feels it will be a great fit for him in his professional career. “I have been waiting for this day for a long time. My father and I did a lot of thinking and talking and at the end of the day we felt that this was the absolute best decision for me and for my professional career. Working with these two promoters I know I will be given the exposure I need to move my career in the right direction. These are two of the top promoters out there and I am just very anxious now to actually get in the ring and get my professional career underway,” said Demetrius.
Demetrius’s father Paul, who has been coaching his son since day one, shared the same thoughts about joining the Star Boxing and Banner Promotions roster. “I am very happy with our decision to join this team,” said Andrade. “Both Joe and Artie have shown tremendous interest in my son’s career for some time now and we have built a great relationship along the way. I expect our relationship to continue to grow and see a very bright future for my son with these two promoters.”