Former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade will return to the ring on July 24, 2026, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, to headline a CES Boxing card. The 38-year-old southpaw, who has not fought since a stoppage loss to David Benavidez in late 2023, has specifically named Caleb Plant, Jermall Charlo, Edgar Berlanga, and Christian Mbilli as his primary targets.
The Providence-born fighter, known as “Boo Boo,” is ending a significant period of inactivity as he seeks to become a three-division world champion. While CES Boxing President Jimmy Burchfield Sr. confirmed the date and venue, an official opponent for the July homecoming has yet to be finalized.
Demetrius Andrade targets super middleweight elite for 2026 campaign
Andrade currently holds a professional record of 32-1 with 19 knockouts, with his lone career blemish coming against David Benavidez nearly three years ago.
The Rhode Island native is not looking for a soft touch following his upcoming return in Connecticut. Andrade told YSM Sports Media that he believes the 168-pound division is “open” and that boxing needs his presence to make the most compelling matchups. He explicitly grouped himself with the division’s top names to suggest a series of high-profile fights among the “same era” of athletes.
Among his wish list, Caleb Plant represents a stylistically intriguing matchup. Plant is currently coming off a split decision loss to Jose Armando Resendiz in May 2025 and does not have a fight scheduled. Much like Shakur Stevenson, who has navigated high-pressure career moves, Andrade is looking for the names that will cement his legacy.
Key details
While Andrade is eager to mix it up with the top ten, the immediate schedules of his targets present hurdles. Jermall Charlo is currently set to compete at super welterweight for his next appearance.
He is scheduled to face Koen Mazoudier in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, July 26, 2026, on the undercard of Errol Spence Jr. vs. Tim Tszyu. This weight class alignment suggests a fight with Andrade at 168 pounds is not likely in the immediate future.
Edgar Berlanga is another name on Andrade’s radar, but the contender is also occupied with a summer date. Berlanga will face Steven Butler on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the Infosys Theater at MSG in New York. If Berlanga emerges victorious, he would likely continue his pursuit of the division’s top titles rather than a technical battle against a veteran southpaw like Andrade.
Christian Mbilli remains a primary focus for Andrade
The most dangerous man on Andrade’s list is arguably Christian Mbilli. The unbeaten Frenchman recently retained his WBC interim super middleweight title following a split draw with Lester Martinez. Mbilli has become one of the most avoided men in the division, mirroring the “high-risk, low-reward” reputation that Andrade carried during his own championship reigns at middleweight and super welterweight.
However, the timing for an Andrade-Mbilli fight is complicated by Mbilli’s confirmed mega-fight. Christian Mbilli is scheduled to face Canelo Alvarez on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This leaves Andrade in a position where he must win impressively in July to ensure he remains relevant for elite matchups later in the year.
Andrade’s age has been a topic of discussion among critics, especially as he moves into his late thirties following a long layoff. But the southpaw remains adamant that his skills haven’t diminished. “My goal is to be a three-divisional world champion.
154, 160, and then 168,” he stated, reinforcing his desire to join an elite group of boxers who have captured gold in three different weight classes.
The road ahead for CES Boxing and Mohegan Sun return
The partnership between Andrade and CES Boxing is a return to his roots. Jimmy Burchfield Sr. praised the fighter as one of the greatest athletes to emerge from Rhode Island, emphasizing the regional importance of this comeback. For Andrade, this fight is about shaking off the rust from a layoff that has lasted since November 2023.
His most recent victory came against Demond Nicholson in January 2023. Since then, his only appearance was the difficult night against Benavidez, where he displayed early success before being stopped in the sixth round. Andrade knows that only a dominant performance on July 24 will prove he still belongs among the top names in the super middleweight hierarchy.
Boxing fans in the New England area will be watching closely to see if the speed and reflex-based style of “Boo Boo” has survived the passage of time.
If he passes the test at Mohegan Sun, the targets he has set—Caleb Plant and Christian Mbilli in particular—represent his best chances to finally secure the legendary status that has eluded him for over a decade.
He remains one of several veterans looking for mid-2026 breakthroughs, similar to how O’Shaquie Foster has sought major call-outs to elevate his profile after divisional successes.
