News On: Andrade, Caballero, Mansour

NEW YORK (October 31, 2013) – As he prepares to break his Atlanta training camp on Tuesday, undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade (19-0, 13 KOs) has fully prepared himself for his November 9th showdown with 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes “Nightmare” Martirosyan (33-0-1, 21 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior middleweight championship.

Andrade vs. Martirosyan will be part of an HBO tripleheader, airing live from Corpus Christi, Texas. The main event is a WBO junior lightweight title fight between defending champion Roman Martinez and challenger Mikey Garcia, while former world champions Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan clash in the co-feature.

Andrade, fighting out of Providence (RI), is co-promoted by Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing and Artie Pelullo's Banner Promotions.

“We (Star Boxing and Banner Promotions) have worked together the past five years as Demetrius' promoter and it is Demetrius' time to show the World his talents,” Star Boxing president Joe DeGuardia said. “I've been on the road a lot in October, including my trip to Orlando for Delvin Rodriguez' fight with (Miguel) Cotto, and Artie and I went to Atlanta last week to Demetrius' training camp. Camp is winding down and Demetrius looks to be in top shape and ready to go. Next week we all head to Texas and are all looking forward to watching Demetrius win the world title.”

The 25-year-old Andrade was originally scheduled to challenge then WBO champion Zaurbek Baysangurov last July, but the Russian pulled out of the fight with an injury and was stripped of his title belt, leaving the world title vacant for the Nov. 9 world title fight between the top two rated WBO 154-pounders, respectively, Martirosyan and Andrade.

“This is the opportunity I've waited for my whole life,” Andrade remarked. “I was supposed to fight for the world title in July but I believe everything happens for a reason. I've had more time to work with my dad (head trainer Paul Andrade). I'm stronger, faster and this camp has been better organized and structured than any I've had in the past.”

In addition to becoming the first member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team to win a world title as a professional, the gifted 25-year-old southpaw can also become the first native New Englander to be world champion of a major governing body since Massachusetts-born heavyweight John “The Quietman” Ruiz in 2005.

“I'm coming for him (Martirosyan) and he doesn't know how bad that's going to be for him,” the 2007 AIBA World amateur champion added. “This is my time!”

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SUNRISE, FLORIDA (Oct. 31) – One of Southern California's top fistic attractions, unbeaten bantamweight Randy “El Matador” Caballero, will be heading east on Tuesday, Nov. 26, as he makes his Florida debut against local southpaw, Jessy Cruz of Miami in the 10-round co-main event of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes' Golden Boy Live! at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.

Originally scheduled to compete in the co-main event, undefeated Cuban heavyweight star Luis “El Mercedez” Ortiz will now be moved to a later date to be announced.

“This is only my second fight outside of California and I'm looking forward to putting on a great show for the Florida fans on November 26,” said Coachella's Caballero. “This is a big night for me and I can't wait to get into the ring.”

“Caballero is a tough kid and I've watched him on the way up,” said Cruz. “But he's not coming into my house and beating me here. My trainer Herman Caicedo has prepared me well and I will shock the world when we fight.”

Twenty-three-year-old Randy “El Matador” Caballero (19-0, 11 KO's) is a top 118-pound prospect on the verge of making noise on the world stage in the coming year. Showing off new skills in his fight game with each and every fight, Caballero has added knockout power to his resume in his last three fights, knocking out Rigoberto Casillas, Luis Maldonado and Miguel Robles, the latter victory coming by way of a debilitating body shot in the seventh round.

Following an impressive amateur career that saw him make it to the quarterfinals of the 2006 National Golden Gloves and also compete at the 2008 Olympic trials, Miami's Jessy Cruz (10-5-1, 4 KO's) turned pro in 2008 and after a rough start in his first three years, the thirty-year-old has hit his stride, winning six of his last seven bouts, including three in a row.

Tarver vs. Sheppard is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O'Reilly Auto Parts. The BB&T Center doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET and the first bell rings at 8:00 p.m. ET. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes bi-lingual simulcast will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $150 (VIP Tables), $75, $50, $40 and $25, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and available for purchase at all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling (800) 745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the BB&T Center box office.

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Philadelphia, PA—Heavyweight contender Amir Mansour today signed a managerial contract with Joe Hand, Sr., chairman of Joe Hand Promotions, Inc. The signing took place in the offices of Peltz Boxing Promotions, Inc.

Mansour, 41, of Middletown, DE, is ranked No. 15 in the world by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and he is the United States Boxing Association (USBA) champion.

A pro since 1997, the left-handed Mansour is 19-0, 14 K0s. He has defeated Maurice Harris, Dominic Guinn and Epifanio Mendoza.

“I’m looking forward to working with Joe Hand,” Mansour said. “I’ve known Joe since 1997 when I turned pro and first trained at his gym. I would never train anywhere else. A lot of good fighters train there.

“Whenever Joe comes into the gym he always says hello and he’s very respectful. The main thing is that I trust him and there are not a lot of people in boxing you can trust. He has explained the ins and outs of boxing to me, telling me things that most promoters and managers would never tell me.”

Joe Hand Promotions was founded in 1971 and has been the premier TV distributor of pay-per-view boxing, UFC and special events in the country. Its customer base includes nearly 4,000 sports-oriented commercial establishments, such as sports bars, restaurants, casinos, military bases, universities and cruise ships.

“Amir and I became friendly through my gym,” Hand said. “He reminds me of the punching power I saw in just two other fighters, George Foreman and Joe Frazier. He can punch with the best heavyweights around and he makes for good fights.

“We will be working with Russell Peltz so far as promoting and making Amir’s fights. I’ve known Russell since 1969 and I know he can help us get Amir to the heavyweight championship.”

Hand’s association with boxing began in 1967, when he became a charter member of the Cloverlay Corporation, the organization that helped guide Joe Frazier to the heavyweight championship.

In 1995, he established the Joe Hand Boxing Gym in North Philadelphia. Many of Philadelphia’s best boxers have trained there, including Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Gabriel Rosado and Chazz Witherspoon. Mansour also trains there under the guidance of ex-pro Howard Mosely.

Hand’s growing stable of fighters also includes junior lightweight Teon Kennedy, of Philadelphia, and amateur cruiserweight sensation Andrew Peurifoy, of Sicklerville, N.J.

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