The long-awaited showdown between WBO middleweight champion, Demetrius Andrade, and mandatory challenger, Liam Williams, finally goes ahead on April 17 in Florida. A fight between the pair has been at the negotiation stage for an extended period with the two boxers engaging in a war of words on social media, but with the contest now confirmed, each man will have the opportunity to back up their respective boasts.
Rhode Island’s Andrade, making the fourth defence of his world title at 160lbs following a reign at super-welterweight, has long made it clear that he is interested in the marquee names around his weight class such as Gennady Golovkin and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, and those are the fights he’ll be seeking if he can eliminate the threat of Williams when the pair clash exclusively on DAZN.
“Liam Williams, you got what you wanted,” said Andrade. “You ran your mouth, got your rating up and here we go. April 17 your career ends. Or maybe you go back to headlining small club shows in the UK I don’t know. What I do know is that you’re getting beaten badly and then I’m on to much bigger fights and bigger nights in my career.
“It’s no secret, this isn’t the fight I wanted, but now it’s here and I will be taking care of business, taking care of Liam Williams in spectacular fashion come April 17. Then it’s whoever wants it. Canelo. GGG. Saunders. Charlo. Plant. I’m here. Undefeated. Two division World champion. Current middleweight champion of the world. I dare one of you to say my name.”
Williams, who has flirted with world class level earlier in his career when losing twice to domestic rival, Liam Smith, has waited patiently for another shot at a lofty opportunity. Currently on a seven-fight winning streak — all stoppages — since his setbacks to Smith in 2017, Williams enters the fight in confident form and the Welshman is expecting to maintain his devastating streak.
“I just think he’s a complete weirdo, a very strange man - I’ve watched him for some time, I used to be a bit of a fan of him back then, now I get the chance to share a ring with him and punch his face in and I can’t wait to do it. I’m going to punch lumps out of him, nonstop. The first couple of rounds could be tricky, but I believe that I will get on top of him and start beating him up.
“I think he might overlook me, possibly. To be honest, maybe he has deserved to get a fight with Canelo, GGG, he’s been World champion for a long time, a two-weight and three-time champion, so he’s probably deserved those fights, but his time is up now and once I deal with him, I’ll get those fights.”
Andrade vs. Williams for the World middleweight title explodes on April 17. DAZN is the only place you can watch this exciting grudge fight. Subscribe here.