Luke Keeler has branded Demetrius Andrade ‘deluded’ and has predicted he’ll rip his WBO World Middleweight title away from him when they clash for the belt at the Meridian at Island Gardens in Miami on Thursday January 30, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Keeler (17-2-1 5 KOs) heads into his first World title fight full of confidence with impressive wins over Luis Arias and Conrad Cummings in 2019 and a blossoming relationship with trainer Pete Taylor, father of Irish star Katie Taylor.
The Irishman is confident he will be the first man to inflict defeat on the two-weight king Andrade (28-0 17 KOs), and believes that the Rhode Island ace is looking past him to blockbuster bouts and unification fights – and that lack of focus on the job at hand can play into the challenger’s hands in Miami.
“He’s really talking himself up,” said Keeler. “I don’t know if he believes it or he’s a bit deluded, but he hasn’t produced it in the ring yet. He hasn’t really fought anyone elite, I think he is going to overlook me and I think he is that deluded that he believes he’s one of the greatest and he just has to turn up to win. That’s going to count against him and I am taking that belt with both hands.
“He’s already talking about the Charlo fight and that’s a dangerous mindset when I am coming in with my lottery ticket basically. I’m merely a hindrance to him. I don’t have a great record on paper, there’s a couple of losses on there that shouldn’t have been losses, so he can look past me.
“I think I am a banana skin to him, there’s no pressure on me, for me it’s easy. When you go in against guys you are expected to win it’s tough, this is easy mentally and it’s lifted me as I know it’s a life-changing chance for me. Win this fight and you are talking a contract with DAZN and massive pay days in huge fights.
“I want to win his World title and move on. Some of these guys go in and respecting him too much, fear him in there and I am going in there to rip it from him. He talks about being the best Middleweight out there, but he hasn’t proven it yet and I will prove him wrong on the night.”
Keeler and Andrade clash on a huge night of action in Super Bowl week with Tevin Farmer (30-4-1, 6 KOs) defending his IBF World Super Featherweight title against JoJo Diaz (30-1, 15 KOs), unified World Super Bantamweight champion Daniel Roman (27-2-1, 10 KOs) defending his titles against Murodjon Akhmadaliev (7-0, 6 KOs) and YouTube stars Jake Paul and AnEsonGib clashing on their pro debuts.