Former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade made a successful return to the ring on Friday night, stopping Douglas Ataide at 2:09 of the first round at Mohegan Sun Arena. Fighting after a 20-month absence, Andrade’s victory re-establishes his place in the division.
Andrade needed minimal time to shake off ring rust despite his extended layoff. Midway through the opening round, he hurt Ataide with a sharp left hand before following up with a right that sent the Brazilian crashing to the canvas. Referee Ricky Gonzalez completed the count at the 2:09 mark, giving the American an emphatic stoppage victory in the main event. The fight ended before Ataide could establish any offensive rhythm.
The quick win marked Andrade’s first appearance in the ring in nearly two years.
The card featured several fast-paced contests. In the co-feature, WBC International featherweight champion Kevin Walsh rallied from initial trouble against former WBC Silver titleholder Dannis Aguero Arias. Arias stunned Walsh twice in the opening round. However, Walsh responded by dropping his opponent with a right hand before scoring a final knockdown in the second round. Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. halted the fight at 2:14 of round two. Middleweight Douglas Marroquin preserved his unbeaten record, earning a 58-56 unanimous decision over Daine Smikle after taking control in the fifth round.
Other undercard action saw stoppage victories for Joseph Chisholm, Slawomir Bohdziewicz, and Anthony Nieves. Chisholm floored Rashad Hicks in both rounds before the referee intervened. Bohdziewicz dropped Russ Kimber twice en route to a second-round finish. Nieves forced a stoppage against Jancel Castro-Guante in round two after hurting him late in the first. Lightweight Luis Porozo edged Gianni Liguori by unanimous decision, while Carlos Perez swept all six rounds against Anthony Mora. Kevante Wineglass remained unbeaten with a majority decision against Josh Melvin. Following this successful return, Andrade now positions himself for higher-profile bouts in the upper weight classes.
