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Hype, inevitable as it is dangerous, accompanies Devon Alexander into the ring Saturday against Lucas Mattysse as ally or enemy.

Alexander (21-1, 13 KOs) can use it the way Victor Ortiz did against Andre Berto. For Ortiz, hype became a motivational resource that dramatically restored public credibility and personal confidence. Or Alexander can allow it to intimidate and metastasize, a paralyzing foe powerful enough to leave LeBron James a quarter short and empty every time.

Mattysse’s proven power makes him dangerous, yet it’s hard to believe he would be considered much of a threat if Alexander was not coming off his first defeat. A loss in January to Timothy Bradley tagged Alexander with the kind of criticism that haunted Ortiz after losing to Marcos Maidana, like Mattysse (28-1, 26 KOs) an Argentine junior-welterweight.

Like Ortiz in the wake of Maidana, Alexander’s character was questioned for an apparent surrender in a 10th-round technical decision brought on by a cut Alexander suffered in a head butt.

“People want to criticize everything you do,’’ said Alexander, who went on to say that Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Barack Obama face criticism. “It’s part of the territory. I didn’t read anything after the fight. I just stayed to myself. I knew there was going to be criticism. I just stayed away from it and blocked it all out. I know what I’m capable of doing in the ring and it only motivated me to get back in the gym and get back on top. So it didn’t affect me at all.’’

But criticism comes from all angles and from just about anywhere. One day, it’s on the internet. The next day, it’s in a question during a conference call. It’s there, everywhere, meaning it’s impossible to ignore and a mistake not to use. Eventually, Ortiz did.

During a conference call about 10 days before Saturday’s HBO-televised bout in St. Louis, both Alexander and his trainer, Kevin Cunningham, sounded as if they have acknowledged the questions and taken ownership of the implied lessons.

“I lay the blame on Devon and me and that’s where it should be laid,’’ Cunningham said “When you don’t go out and do what you’re capable of doing, you are going to get criticized. I accept the criticism, he accepts the criticism and we accept full responsibility for coming up short in a great opportunity that was before us.

“But I’m telling you we won’t come up short on June 25, and I believe this fight is going to be a lot tougher fight than the Bradley fight.

Hype portraying Alexander as boxing’s next legend was a factor in the loss to Bradley. It either deluded him, or allowed him to grow so overconfident he cut corners. Whatever it was, he promises there will be no repeat.

“It was all me and what I didn’t do,’’ Alexander said. “…I have to stay focused, no matter how high the stakes are or how low the stakes are. You have to stay focused and follow the game plan.’’

A plan that also includes judicious use of everything there, even the hype.

NOTES, QUOTES
• While wondering whether Mayweather will ever fight Pacquiao and if Mexicans will one day witness Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-versus-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., here’s a question: How is it that fellow Argentines Matthysse and Maidana, both junior-welterweights, have never fought? Matthysse-Maidana sounds as if would do big business at soccer stadium in Buenos Aires.

• With temperatures reaching 110-degrees, the Phoenix market continues to heat up with two cards in July. A couple of weeks after Phoenix super-middleweight Jesus Gonzales (26-1, 14 KOs) faces Henry Buchanan (20-2, 13 KOs) of Maryland at the Suns downtown home at US Airways Center on July 8, former light-heavyweight Rico Hoye makes a comeback at heavyweight at Madison Event Center on July 22 on a card promoted by Michelle Rosado of Face II Face Events.

• And German Felix Sturm has no second thoughts about fighting in the U.S. Sturm hasn’t fought in the U.S. since he was robbed of a decision over Oscar De La Hoya in 2004 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. “No, I’m ready,’’ Sturm said.” I’m always ready to come back to the U.S. …I’m not scared to come back there.’’ Sturm (35-2-1, 15 KOs) defends his World Boxing Association version of the 160-pound title Saturday against Matthew Macklin (28-2, 19 KOs) Saturday in a Cologne bout televised by EPIX.

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