Andrade vs. Culcay will take place Nov. 5 in Germany
Former U.S. Olympian Demetrius Andrade and Jack Culcay have agreed to terms to fight on Nov. 5 in Potsdam, Germany for Culcay’s secondary junior middleweight title, though it won’t be on Showtime because the network doesn’t want to go up against Manny Pacquiao’s return on the same day, Andrade co-promoter Artie Pelullo told RingTV.com on Thursday.
The contracts are being finalized and Pelullo expects them to be signed in the next couple of days. “The fight is 100% a go,” Pelullo said in a phone interview. “The fight is 100% a go. The deal is done.”
Culcay’s promoter, Sauerland Event won a purse bid in August at the WBA’s Panama offices with an offer of $425,144 compared to Banner Promotions bid of $201,000. The minimum offer was $150,000 with 75 percent going to the titleholder and 25 percent to the opponent.
Showtime, which has strong interest in Andrade’s future on the network, will not broadcast the fight because it’s on the same day as Pacquiao’s return against Jessie Vargas, Pelullo said. “Showtime doesn’t want to do a fight on that day because it’s Pacquiao,” said Pelullo, who added the goal for the fight is to be shown on another U.S. network, which hasn’t been identified yet. “I know Sauerland wants to put it on some kind of American medium,” said Pelullo, president of Banner Promotions, who promotes Andrade with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. “I know it’s going to happen.”
Andrade (23-0, 16 knockouts) already handily beat Culcay (22-1, 11 KOs) in the amateurs in the quarterfinals of the 2007 World Championships. Pelullo hopes a second win against Culcay is a springboard for bigger fights to come for the talented Andrade. Pelullo hopes to see the 28-year-old southpaw back on Showtime in the first quarter of 2017.
“After the fight he comes back to the United States and it gives him a bigger position at 154 and 160,” Pelullo said. “He’s now a two-time junior middleweight world champion and he’ll bring something to the table when there’s a Canelo or Golovkin fight. And there will be fights like that. Or one of the Charlo brothers. It will be a meaningful fight for him because now he’s a champion again.”
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