Eddie Hearn: Billy Joe Saunders vs. Demetrius Andrade To Take Place In October

After some shuffling around dates and venues, it appears that there is a set time and place for the WBO middleweight title fight between Billy Joe Saunders and Demetrius Andrade.

According to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who promotes Andrade, told AB Boxing News that the title bout between Saunders and Andrade will take place at the TD Garden on October 20. Hearn said the fight is just one of several he hopes to put in the United States in cities where they have not had many big boxing cards in recent years.

“[Boston] is another fight city that hasn’t had the big nights as regularly as it should do. Andrade against Saunders is one of the best matchups in the middleweight division. [You have] two guys that have lightning whit and lightning speed, two elite middleweights, it’s just a brilliant, brilliant matchup. It’s a 50-50 fight,” Hearn said.

The fight has already been agreed to after the WBO ordered the two boxers to fight for the title, but there had been issues with securing a venue. Originally, the fight was going to take place in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin Donuts Center on October 20, but the venue was already occupied and unavailable for that day.

Andrade, the No. 1 middleweight in the WBO rankings, was previously booked to fight on the October 6 Matchroom card in Chicago on DAZN, but that was before the WBO issued the order to have him challenge for Saunders’ title. 

Saunders will be making his fourth world title defense. Saunders has not fought this year as he was originally scheduled to defend his title against Martin Murray back in April, but Saunders was injured and unable to compete. Saunders then went down with another injury weeks before the rescheduled fight which was June 23.