Demetrius Andrade won the WBO jr. middleweight championship with a workmanlike split decision over 2004 U.S. Olympian and previously undefeated Vanes Martirosyan at the American Bank Center.
Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island, is now 20-0 with 13 knockouts and is promoted by Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.
Andrade proved early that he had the heart of a champion as he came back from a flash first -round knockdown.
Andrade got off the deck and dominated the rest of the bout as he stuck his hard right jab consistently in Martirosyan’s face.
Andrade’s best round was the sixth when he hit Martirosyan with repeated power shots that raised swelling around his left eye.
Andrade was never challenged down the stretch as he put on a beautiful boxing exhibition that Martirosyan had no answer for.
According to Compubox, Andrade landed 219 of 769 while Martirosyan only managed 83 of 443.
Two judges had Andrade winning by scores of 117-110 and 114-113, While a third judge turned in a dubious card that had Martirosyan ahead 115-112.
“He caught me but I stayed focused,” said Andrade about the knockdown. “I stayed focused and continued to jab and started to pick him apart. I started to feel comfortable inside and won the fight.”
On becoming a world champion, “This feels great and my time is now.”
Said co-promoter Arthur Pelullo, “This is what we envisioned when we signed him. That was to become world champion and he did that tonight. We feel that he is on track to become the best jr. middleweight in the world. Winning this belt puts him in the mix to be able to prove that.”