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.

PART 1

PART 2

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that former 140 lb world champion Devon Alexander will take on hard punching Lucas Matthysse on June 25th most likely in St. Louis

“I made a deal with (Alexander’s promoter Don)King and I made one also with my fighter, so we are in,” said Matthysse’s promoter Richard Schaefer.

“This is one of those crossroads fights,” Schaefer said. “The winner is right back in the mix at 140 pounds, which is one of the most exciting weight classes in boxing. Lucas Matthysse is always in exciting fights.”

“I think it will be a great fight,” Cunningham said. “Matthysse is one of the most dangerous 140 pounders and these are the type of fights Devon wants. He knows he has to bounce back from the Bradley fight. He can’t take some no-name opponent. He has to fight one of the top guys in the division and Matthysse is one of the most dangerous opponents we could have possibly chosen.

“If you want to be considered one of the best in your division, you have to fight the best guys in your division. That’s what you have to do. Devon feels like he blew a great opportunity by not performing up to his potential against Tim Bradley. He feels like Matthysse is a more dangerous fighter than Bradley. Bradley is no puncher and Matthysse is big puncher. Matthysse has punching ability and some skill.”

“Devon Alexander is a great young fighter, but things didn’t really work out for him the Bradley fight,” Schaefer said. “He’s coming back against Matthysse, who many believe won the fight with Judah. For Devon Alexander to do a tune-up fight, that won’t get him anywhere, and for Lucas Matthysse to do another tune-up fight, that won’t get him anywhere either. He could have stayed in Argentina and had another tune-up fight, but he didn’t want that. “He wanted a fight like this because he knows a win will increase his potential to be back in an even bigger fight.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a summer fight between Jr. Welterweight Devin Alexander and Lucas Matthysse is being discussed by promoters Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer and Don King.

“I have to get to back to King with a number, but Matthysse wants to take the fight. He’s OK with going to St. Louis [Alexander’s hometown] as long as there are neutral officials,” Schaefer said. “King said no problem. We just have to work out the numbers, but I have a pretty good feeling about it.”

“I’ve discussed it with King and with HBO and there is interest from all sides,” Schaefer said.

“I think it would be a great fight, just the type of fight that Devon wants,” said Kevin Cunningham, Alexander’s trainer and manager. “He’s disappointed with his lack of execution in the Bradley fight and he wants to go right back in the ring with one of the top guys. We feel Matthysse is better than [Marcos] Maidana, but Maidana chose to go and fight Erik Morales instead of Devon. So Matthysse is there and he is one of the top guys. Most guys feel like he won the fight with Zab. He’s a very tough opponent. That’s what Devon is looking for.

Schaefer said he and King are also discussing a fight between junior middleweight titlist Cornelius “K9” Bundrage and rising contender Erislandy Lara as the televised co-feature.

While hoping for a Super Bowl that doesn’t turn into the stupor left by Tim Bradley and Devon Alexander in a fight preceded by the same advertising adjective, some headlines and counters:

News item: An estimated 16,000 tickets are sold within about three hours for the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight on May 7 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

Reaction: Promoters Gary Shaw and Don King couldn’t give away that many tickets in 16 days or 16 months for Bradley’s technical decision over Alexander at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich., where the estimates were like the empty seats. They were all over the place. There are no reports on the number of paying customers. Let’s just say that the Silverdome’s box office has collected more dollars for its drive-in movie business last spring and summer.

News item: Bradley is expected to sign with Bob Arum or Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions after his deal with Shaw expires, reportedly in May.

Reaction: If it’s Arum, don’t expect Bradley to fight for 140-pound supremacy with Golden Boy-promoted Amir Khan. If it’s Golden Boy, don’t expect a Bradley fight against the Arum-promoted Pacquiao.

News item: Bradley says he wants to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Reaction: Get in line. Las Vegas and Nevada’s Clark County already have a couple of mandatories against Mayweather, including a trial on misdemeanor battery, rescheduled for April 25, and a hearing on March 10 for felony domestic abuse.

News item: Bradley says he wants to fight Pacquiao.

Reaction: Break the head-butt habit. It’s a pattern that continued with Alexander badly cut over his right eye, first from a Bradley head-butt in the third and again in the end, the 10th Pacquiao hasn’t lost since 2005 when a fifth-round clash of heads with Erik Morales left him badly cut, also above his right eye. Pacquiao was clearly bothered by blood streaming from the wound for the rest of the 12-round bout, which Morales won with a unanimous decision. Pacquiao might think twice about the threat of a bloody encore if he thinks Bradley can’t break the habit.

News item: HBO will honor its $1.25 million guarantee to Alexander with a possible fight against Marcos Maidana.

Reaction: Save the money, Devon, because it figures to be your last big payday. If the powerful Maidana is in shape, he will win by a crushing knockout, which narrowly eluded him in a scorecard loss to Khan.

News item: Khan fires conditioning coach Alex Ariza, who says he has yet to be paid for his work before a Fight of the Year victory over Maidana in December.

Reaction: Maidana trainer Miguel Diaz, who called Ariza “a fraud,’’ is laughing.

News item: Evander Holyfield’s fight with Brian Nielsen is postponed from March 5 to May 7 because of a Holyfield cut suffered on Jan. 22 in a bout with Sherman Williams.

Reaction: Huh? Holyfield fought Williams? He is scheduled to fight Nielsen, who hasn’t fought in nearly a decade? Holyfield-Nielsen has been re-scheduled for May 7? Won’t everybody be watching Pacquiao against Mosley then? Holyfield-Nielsen in Copenhagen? Not the Silverdome? Must be a night for drive-in movies.

News item: Pacquiao is already 2-0 at Cowboys Stadium, which means he has competed there two more times than the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.

Reaction: Pacquiao will get some company in that unbeaten column. Steelers, 27-24.

On Saturday night, forty-five minutes before Tim Bradley and Devon Alexander did battle in Pontiac, Michigan, I got this text from one of my few friends who enjoys boxing.

“I forgot this fight was on till a little while ago. Who do you think is going to win?”

Presumably, his second sentence was to aid him in a potential gambling proposition.

I replied, “Bradley by decision, but I think he’ll have to come from behind in the second half to win a close fight.”

I then texted my 28 year-old brother and reminded him the fight was about to start. He responded by saying, “I don’t get Showtime.”

I told him it’s on HBO, to which he said, “In that case I’m going to watch it.”

My friend is much more of a boxing guy than my brother, but brother, who is a lawyer, watches pretty much every HBO fight and is extremely opinionated about certain fighters.

In December he was literally screaming for Marcos Maidana to knock out Amir Khan in the tenth round of their Fight of the Year bout. At some point in the last year and a half, he decided he didn’t like Khan. Nor is he a fan of Floyd Mayweather, Zab Judah, or Chris Arreola, apparantly. He likes Tomasz Adamek, Paulie Malignaggi, and Manny Pacquiao — and Buboy Fernandez, though. But for whatever reason, there is no in-between with him.

There was a point in time where I was almost certain that myself and another writer-friend of mine were going to make the trip from North Jersey, drive the length of the Keystone State, through Ohio, to Pontiac. Plans fell through, and I watched it from my bedroom.

But during the interim, I talked up this fight, I was excited. I thought what most people thought: these were easily two of the best three fighters in one of boxing’s deepest divisions. The fight matters, so it had to be good.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Bradley outclassed Alexander from beginning to end. Alexander “The Not-so Great” didn’t use his height or reach to his advantage, and all but once unleashed an uppercut (the punch that so viciously knocked out Juan Urango last year). Not sure why he kept it on the shelf. Flustered, perhaps.

Bradley was constantly charging forward, throwing wild at times, but never letting Alexander fight his fight. Bart Barry summed it up well, writing about what he saw from his ringside perch, “Alexander was out of his depth, discomfited throughout. Bradley was too far away, too near, and never where he wanted him. The rounds were close, but you could argue Alexander didn’t win any of them. Then head butts took his mind away.”

So when the fight was stopped and Bradley’s hand deservedly raised, my phone buzzed again with texts.

The first came from my friend. It simply said, “Fight is over…that’s shitty.”

Then came my brother’s. After expressing his opinion that Alexander legitimately couldn’t continue, he proclaimed, “That fight was dumb.”

He concluded with, “Bad for boxing…in my opinion.”

Well, it certainly wasn’t good for boxing. But we must remember this is a fight that everyone wanted to see, and I’m glad HBO made it. I am not so glad about the concessions HBO made in order to make this fight, however.

In his latest column about Pacquiao’s move to Showtime, Thomas Hauser addressed the details of the Bradley-Alexander fight by writing, “Each fighter (in tandem with his respective promoter) has been guaranteed a second fight for a license fee of at least $3,000,000. This means that, unless their first encounter warrants a rematch, three fights involving these two boxers will command almost 25% of HBO’s license fees in 2011.”

Further, according to John Chavez of The Boxing Truth fame, Bradley-Alexander drew 1.345 million live viewers. Sad to say, but I’m almost certain that number will decrease for Alexander’s next bout. To put things in perspective, the Manfredo-Eduard fight on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, drew 788,000 live viewers, and they paid a hell of a lot less than the $4 million HBO paid for this fight.

While I’m glad HBO made Bradley-Alexander happen, they grossly overpaid and made too many concessions. Then again, I would definitely not be writing any of this if it turned out to be a twelve round thriller.

That wasn’t the case, however, and head-butts and Bradley’s determination and grit earned him the title as world’s best junior welterweight.

But unfortunately for boxing fans like my brother, there’s a good chance that both Tim Bradley and Devon Alexander ended up on their ‘dislike’ list. The next time Alexander is on HBO I’ll try to get my brother to watch, but I don’t think he’ll take the bait. I have a better shot at getting him to watch Bradley fight again.

When he said, “Bad for boxing…in my opinion,” — that’s the way I feel about 25% of HBO’s 2011 license fee’s being linked to these two fighters.

We wanted the fight, we got it. Most likely, we won’t want to see Alexander against a bounce-back opponent. Too bad, we’re getting it.

We’ll just take the good with the bad I guess. That’s boxing.

Kyle Kinder can be reached at Twitter.com/KyleKinder & KyleKinder1@gmail.com

PONTIAC, Mich. – There’s a reason it’s hard to get in the major leagues with a hitch in your swing. St. Louis’ Devon Alexander may have made it to the majors, but Saturday night he ran into a first-rate pitcher in Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley and got struck out.

In the main event of “The Super Fight,” boxing’s debut in the Silverdome, California’s Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs) defeated Alexander (21-1, 13 KOs) by technical-decision after fewer than 10 rounds – when the fight was stopped because of an accidental head butt – and did so by scores of 97-93, 96-95 and 98-93, establishing himself as the world’s premier junior welterweight.

The 15rounds.com ringside scorecard concurred, scoring the match a lopsided 99-92 for Bradley.

While both fighters began tense and nervous in the opening rounds, Bradley loosened up, catching Alexander with one decisive right hand in each stanza, and bullying Alexander with ineffective aggressiveness. Alexander appeared overwhelmed, never finding his range or setting a successful trap.

As the fight progressed, Bradley detected the massive hitch in Alexander’s proverbial swing: Alexander cocks his every combination. Once Bradley deciphered this, he hit Alexander awkwardly and often. Alexander had begun to fade when the two fighters’ heads collided severely enough in round 10 to disrupt Alexander’s vision and cause the ringside doctor to advise a stoppage.

After the fight, Bradley graciously called Alexander a warrior, promising the St. Louis native would one day be champion again. Bradley then quixotically called-out Manny Pacquiao, a junior-middleweight titlist who would likely whup him.

VERNON PARIS VS. EMANUEL AUGUSTUS
Vernon Paris (24-0, 14 KOs), the undefeated Detroit junior welterweight the largest number of Saturday’s fans came to see, might have reviewed his opponent’s record and smirked during training camp. But Emanuel Augustus (38-34-6, 20 KOs) proved to be a humorless test for Paris, who, despite being roughed-up, frustrated and worn-down, won by unanimous-decision scores of 76-73, 77-72 and 77-72.

Augustus, a veteran of 77 fights who now calls himself “The Outlaw,” would not be run out the ring. He resorted to a large number of the tricks in his substantial bag to take the younger and faster crowd-favorite off his game. Once Augustus had Paris distracted, he began talking to him, dancing between rounds and fouling him wherever the referee couldn’t see.

The referee did see enough antics, though, to penalize Augustus two points for a fraction of the indiscretions he committed.

But whatever the final tally, Augustus proved he can still teach a young fighter, and Vernon Paris still has plenty left to learn.

UNDERCARD
The penultimate undercard match of the night saw its most-devastating knockout as Miami heavyweight Bermane “B-Ware” Stiverne (20-1-1, 19 KOs) rocked then ruined Trinidad and Tobago’s Kertson Manswell (19-1, 15 KOs), stopping him at 1:52 of the second round – with a 1-2 followed by four left hooks – to take the ‘0’ from the loss side of Manswell’s ledger.

In the evening’s sixth and dullest fight, Marcus Oliveira (21-0-1, 16 KOs), an undefeated Kansas light-heavyweight, decisioned Detroit’s Demetrius Jenkins (21-18-1, 16 KOs) by unanimous scores of 60-54.

The evening’s second-most-lopsided mismatch came in its fifth bout, as New Jersey’s Kendall “Rated R” Holt (26-4, 13 KOs) made an NC-17 mess of Florida welterweight Lenin Arroyo (20-15-1, 4 KOs), knocking him cold at 1:50 of the first round and causing the few knowledgeable fans in attendance to wonder why a prizefighter of Holt’s caliber would even be making eight-round tilts with 14-loss journeymen.

New York welterweight Allen Conyers (12-4, 9 KOs) calls himself “Dream Shatterer,” and in the fourth fight of Saturday’s Silverdome card, formerly undefeated Texan James De La Rosa (20-1, 12 KOs) learned why. Dropped thrice and made to look like a lousy Zab Judah impersonator, De La Rosa dropped the first decision of his career, losing a 10-round fight by three scores of 95-92.

Saturday’s most-lopsided mismatch came in its third bout, when Philadelphia’s Julian Williams (5-0, 4 KOs) blew directly through Indiana’s Alan Moore (2-10, 2 KOs) in 28 seconds to win a first-round technical knockout. Moore’s shaky legs at the opening bell and complete want of competitiveness raised questions of how he was even able to attain a license from the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission.

Before that, in an entertaining eight-round super middleweight scrap, Detroit’s own “Son of a Preacher Man” Darryl Cunningham (22-2, 10 KOs) outclassed Dominican Alberto Mercedes (16-15, 10 KOs), dropping him in the final round and winning by three, unanimous-decision scores of 60-53. Despite absorbing punches and being hurt at the 1:30 mark of round 8, though, Mercedes stayed game throughout, even dissuading the onrushing Cunningham in the fight’s final minute.

Saturday’s opening fight, California welterweight Julio Diaz (38-6, 26 KOs) versus Tijuana’s Pavel Miranda (16-7-1, 8 KOs), ended in an eighth-round TKO for Diaz when a disappointing Miranda could not continue.

Doors for “The Super Fight” opened at 6:00 PM, and the opening bell rang on an empty arena at 6:15. The event’s promoters announced an attendance of 6,247.

PONTIAC, Mich. – Junior welterweight champions Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander shared a lot of similarities Friday at Silverdome. Both were dark, muscular and respectful to one another and those gathered round a makeshift stage in a glass-paneled sports bar overlooking the arena. If it was a study in contrasts you were after, then, the place to look was backstage.

That was where Alexander’s indefatigable promoter Don King plied his syrupy cackle and unpredictable vocabulary in a final publicity push for Saturday’s “Super Fight.” And in a corner across the room stood Bradley’s promoter, Gary Shaw, quietly prepping for an upcoming rules meeting.

Friday afternoon Bradley and Alexander took to the scale and made 139.5 pounds and 140, respectively. Both looked excellent. Neither looked ready to relent. Each looked a righteous foil to the other.

Meanwhile, their promoters acted more in complementary roles than adversarial ones.

King is, and has been for decades, more famous than the fighters he promotes. The shocked hair, the bedizened jean jacket, the exploding voice; all contribute to a presence round which even confident public figures orbit like tiny moons. Regardless of the merits of his product, King is the spectacle that fills the tent. Few bring to any job the mastery and joy King brings to public self-edification. And yet.

There’s an easily missed humility in the access he affords every promotion. He is not a wind-up toy; were he that, writers would have stopped quoting him 30 years ago. Rather, he is a robust cult of personality hurling himself on the mercy of a crowd.

“You want them to buy what you’re selling!” King said Friday, when asked about an appearance schedule this week that has put his distinct voice all over local Michigan airwaves. “Give them what they want. People are my most important asset!”

But are they buying what he’s selling this time, and just how many assets will be in seats Saturday night?

“Make the economy rise!” King thundered, when asked about his choice of a city 30 miles north of Detroit. “The spirit of Detroit is alive! Detroit is a model for the rest of the country.”

That it is. To most of the rest of the country, though, Detroit is a model of what an American city should not become. While the reports of Detroit’s death are indeed exaggerated, there’s no doubt the area is wanting in both capital and hope.

“The people need you here,” said King. “This is a commercial for three or four hours for Detroit. This (fight) is an infomercial.”

Standing in a hallway 50 feet away – but by no means outside the range of King’s voice – Gary Shaw contrasted his style with that of his co-promoter’s.

“Don is a self-promoter, he’s the marketing,” Shaw said. “I am more operationally seasoned.”

When asked if he thought the two made a good team, Shaw nodded.

“Don’s a legendary name,” he said. “That’s not who I am.”

How good a team the two men have made will be challenged Saturday at Silverdome. Friday’s view of the arena afforded a glimpse at how ticket sales are going. With the ring tucked in a far away corner, blue curtains indicated fewer than a fifth of Silverdome’s 80,000 or so seats will be on sale.

A strong walk-up crowd is predicted. Any service person in uniform will be given a free seat. But whatever the actual gate, you hope for a good throng of committed boxing fans. Detroit and Pontiac need it. Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander deserve it.

Doors to “The Super Fight” open Saturday at 6:00 PM local time. 15rounds.com will have full ringside coverage.

Symbols have been attached to the Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander fight, so many in fact that they might outnumber the tickets sold for the junior-welterweight bout at the Silverdome, a blimp-like arena in Pontiac, Mich., that for years has been full of only empty seats and hot air.

Conflicting and perhaps premature projections promise only more empties and air. Even with a good walk-up before opening bell on Jan. 29, there will still be a lot of both.

Ten-to-fifteen thousand seats are for sale in an arena once big enough for two crowds of more than 93,000 each for Pope John Paul II and Wrestlemania in 1987. Promoters Don King and Gary Shaw said the plan always has been to set up the arena for a fraction of its current capacity, now said to be 70,000. That’s a lot of curtains.

The dismal projections are unfortunate, mostly because they have become a story that takes away from a bout, as significant as it is intriguing, between two unbeaten fighters, both African-Americans.

When the site was first announced, Shaw told reporters that he wanted to stage the fight in a city with a big African-American population. Atlanta or Detroit, he said.

Detroit, Motown, sounded good then. It might have been, if the town was Detroit instead of Pontiac, a dateline and troublesome symbol in itself. A new Pontiac is harder to find than a good American heavyweight these days. There are none. General Motors quit making the car in 2009.

For symbolism, Alexander-Bradley belongs about 30 miles away, in Detroit, at Joe Louis Arena, which was named for an iconic and African-American heavyweight who made his historic impact before Jackie Robinson broke major-league baseball’s color line and Muhammad Ali opened his mouth.

These days, The Joe is a hockey arena, home for the Detroit Red Wings. On the night of Alexander-Bradley, the Red Wings won’t be there, but college hockey will be with Michigan-versus-Michigan State.

I’m not sure whether there was an alternate date at The Joe or on HBO’s schedule. I’m also not sure whether any arena anywhere was willing to pay the $500,000 site fee that Shaw and King reportedly got from the Silverdome. That dollar sign might have been the biggest symbol at play.

Even if Alexander-Bradley had wound up at The Joe on a different date, it might not have mattered. Last March, Arthur Abraham’s disqualification in the Super Six bout against Andre Dirrell, a native of Flint, Mich., at The Joe drew a disappointing crowd, reportedly about 5,000.

Predictably, Shaw expressed frustration at criticism of the site during a conference call Tuesday.

“First, let’s wait until January 29 and find out how many people are in there,’’ said Shaw, Bradley’s promoter. “No. 2, I put on the greatest fight of the decade, (Diego) Corrales vs. (Jose Luis) Castillo and we didn’t sell even 2,000 tickets. I never heard anyone say that it wasn’t a fight that was extraordinary.

“We have two great undefeated American fighters and we went to a place we thought was befitting. We never set if for 70,000 – the set-up was always going to be between 10,000 and 15,000. Those that came to the press conference saw how it would be mapped out. The Silverdome was well-prepared and did a great job.

“There should be compliments to the new owner of the stadium who wants to do more boxing and is willing to take the risk to bring big-time boxing back to the Detroit area. I think it’s a terrific place to do the fight. I’m not sorry and Don’s not sorry. We are doing something for that economy. We are bringing HBO, which is going to shine a big spotlight on that economy.

“Everybody claimed a couple years ago the U.S. automobile industry was dead. If you’d all bought stock in those companies, you would be rich today.’’

Please, promoters aren’t in the business of propping up any economy other than their own.

Yet, Bradley-Alexander is a worthy fight, mostly because it has a chance to stimulate interest in boxing’s battered model of an American game.

In terms of philosophy, this one has a chance to be a game-changer. American fighters have become increasingly protective of their unbeaten records – the so-called 0, which both Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) and Bradley possess (26-0, 11 KOs).

Greatness in boxing is often measured in large part by how a fighter comes back from defeat. Rocky Marciano is known for retiring unbeaten, but is his name at the top of any all-time, pound-for-pound lists?

King said a lot of things during Tuesday’s conference call.

“Ticket sales will not determine the greatness of this fight,’’ King said.

Yeah, and I’ll be the next chairman of GM.

But he did say something that could help boxing recapture some of the fan interest that has eroded precipitously since last year’s second round of abortive talks for Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The winner, King said, will be a superstar.

“But the loser will be a star, too,’’ said King, who echoed a comment from Bradley 10 days ago when the multi-skilled junior-welterweight said big fights were more important to him than the play-it-safe desire to protect the 0 and only the 0.

If Bradley-Alexander can help alter thinking behind a zero-sum game, it will be remembered as a winner, regardless of the zip code.

“We can spotlight this hard-hit economy,’’ said King, who talked about Motown as if it were boxing.

On the economic GPS, they’re in the same place.

As Tim Bradley’s nickname “Desert Storm” suggests he’s a trooper. He’s one of Boxing’s blue collar fighters, he’s never had anything given to him the easy way, just through sheer hard work. He first won a world title back in May 2008 when as the underdog he traveled to England where he fought awkward, southpaw Junior Witter. Witter started well, but typical of Bradley he slowly solved the puzzle that was Witter dropping him in the sixth along the way to winning a split decision. The old adage winning a title makes a fighter better came to bear when he outpointed tough guy Edner Cherry before again accepting a tough assignment, he headed to Quebec, Canada to defeat Kendall Holt. This time Bradley revealed something different he showed just how well conditioned he is twice dragging himself off the canvas and riding out some tough patches to unify the his WBC crown with Holt’s WBO title. After being forced to vacate the WBC title he fought former unified Lightweight champion Nate Campbell, after handling Campbell well winning the opening three rounds on all three judges cards Campbell appeared to retire between rounds. At later inspection the California commission wavered the result opting to change it to a No decision. The Californian Native closed out an impressive 2009 with a sparkling display of savvy and ring generalship as he posted a near shut out of Lamont Peterson in a fight many believed to be 50-50 going in. When various fights fell out including a mooted battle with Argentine power puncher Marcos Maidana fell through Bradley opted to head up to 147 and meet another Big punching Argentinean in the form of Luis Abregu. While Bradley may not of had the power or size of Abregu, he had the ring smarts and speed advantages to gain the points win. During 2010 Bradley struggled to get any of the fights he hoped for at 140, however he helps get Boxing off with a bang when he fights unbeaten Devon “The Great” Alexander on 29 January on HBO at the Silverdome, in Pontiac, Michigan.

Hello Tim, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly you have a “Super Fight” coming up with Devon Alexander. What are your thoughts on that fight? How highly do you rate Alexander?

Tim Bradley – Pretty much my thoughts are it’s going to be a great fight. Our styles, he’s a lefty, we have similar attributes, high volume type of fighters, smart boxers. So it’s going to be an interesting fight. Different strategy’s, what I’m going to take as far as my strategy and as far as his strategy. As far as how I rate Devon? I think Devon is one of the best 140 pounder’s in the world. I rate him at number two fighter in the division, hands down. Now that Khan beat Maidana you can argue and say Khan maybe number 1 or 2 as well. It just depends on how all these fights play out. If I can get a win over Devon and fight Khan or someone of that nature then we’ll see who the best 140 pounder in the world is. But I rate Devon right now as the number 2 and I rate myself as number 1 and we’re going to see who’s the best.

Anson Wainwright – If you win you wont receive the WBC belt. What are your thoughts on that?

Tim Bradley – Well I really don’t have any thoughts on it. It was a decision I made and that’s that. If I wasn’t going to be recognized as WBC champion. It is what it is. There’s nothing I can do about it, so I’m not worried about it.

Anson Wainwright – Your known in the sport as a gym rat but when did you start training for this fight and can you tell us about the training you do?

Tim Bradley – I started in mid December. I did my press tour. I sparred for the first time in 5 months, but I felt great, I like to stay in shape. So it’s not like I haven’t done anything in 5 months. I’ve been really active running and staying fit. So when I get back to the gym it’s not hard to comeback like most fighters. My last couple of sparring sessions have been superb. Like I say I haven’t sparred for 5 months but the way I’m looking I can’t wait to see me after about 6 weeks of sparring.

Anson Wainwright – Who is part of Team Bradley, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? How did you come to work with them? Also what gym do you train at?

Tim Bradley – Team Bradley is pretty much my family. Joel Diaz is the head coach, you have Timothy Ray Snr, my father as second in the ring. Then you have a good friend of mine Sam L Jackson he’s another one of my corner men. Team Bradley consists of my wife, she handles all my phone calls, pretty much anything that I need she handles. We have Cameron Dunkin he’s my manager. He does everything to make sure I’m fine and all the contracts are great, all those good things. You also have Michael Miller, he’s my lawyer he handles all the contract things as well and also my promoter who is Ken Thompson and Gary Shaw Promotions. Thompson’s been with me about 6 years, I’ve been with Gary Shaw 4 and a half maybe 5 years. Also my brother in law and my mother, we’re a close team. I train at the Indio Boys and girls club.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first come to work with Joel Diaz & Cameron Dunkin.

Tim Bradley – Joel had his brother’s, he trained Antonio and former two time world champion Julio Diaz. My father was training me in the amateur days and when I was looking to turn pro I was looking for someone who knew the business, someone who was very efficient like I was, a hard worker and dedicated. So we traveled out maybe 30 minutes outside where we live to Lee Espinoza’s gym out in Coachella and Joel was training fighters, helping guys out. So we asked him if he’d be willing to train me professionally and he said “Yeah”. From that point on he groomed me and helped me become one of the best fighters in the world today. With the help of my father and Team. I have a great support team. That helps me stay focused and on my toes. There’s always positive people around me. That’s how I met Joel. I was talking to Cameron for a few months, I was looking for a bit more protection and someone who was very knowledgeable about the game, that has been in the game a very long time and I knew he had some great fighters in his stable that he managed and some great fighters over history. Cameron Dunkin is a huge name in Boxing as far as management. I really wanted him, I needed his expertise. To go over my contract make sure everything is legit and help and protect me and make sure I’m getting my just do’s.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us what it was like for you growing up in Southern California, were things tough for you early on?

Tim Bradley – Well growing up in Southern California, I grew up in a Neighbourhood there were a lot of gangs, tough streets. I knew everybody in the area and everybody knew who I was but it was tough to not be pulled in. That type of thug mentality was very hard to keep myself isolated. Boxing helped me do that. I hung out with some of my friends who were in gangs and you tend to roll with and think like them. Boxing was my foundation. My parents were hard on me growing up as well. They disciplined me, they made sure I was a respectable young man.

Anson Wainwright – When did you first become interested and take Boxing up?

Tim Bradley – I think it was sixth grade, I had a friend who was Boxing at the time. He was Boxing and I always got in trouble in school, fighting, getting in trouble, being a knucklehead, being a boy, beating up kids in the school. That’s how I got started. I nagged my dad for about 2 months “Can I go to the Boxing club, my friends doing it. I want to fight, please take me” He finally said ok, he said “If you like it there’s no quitting, you can’t quit if you like it” I said “Ok, that’s a deal” I never looked back. I’ve been training for 17 years of my life and I’ve never taken a break. The thing with most guys they take a break after a fight or amateur tournament, they leave for a couple of months. I was back the next Monday, after the tournament. I never really took a long lay off, when I was coming up in the amateur’s.

Anson Wainwright – You were a good amateur, what titles did you win? What guys who are now pro did you fight? What was your final record?

Tim Bradley – I won the National PAL Championship, I won under 19 Championship and Junior Gloves. I travelled and fought the French, Puerto Rican, Irish, Mexican’s. I had some duals under my belt. I had over 140 fights, I think I had about 20 loses.
I fought Andre Berto, Anthony Dirrell, Andre Ward, Vaughn Alexander, Lamont Peterson. I’m sure there’s more, I just don’t remember.

Anson Wainwright – When we spoke to Devon Alexander he mentioned you beat his brother Vaughn 6-4. So he’ll be gunning for revenge while you’ll be looking to do the family double.

Tim Bradley – Absolutely, I beat his brother and now I’m going to beat him. He wants revenge for his brother and it would probably mean a lot to him. He’d be like to his brother “I got him back” but that’s going to be a tough task.

Anson Wainwright – You turned pro in the summer of 2004, you stayed active over the next four years before you fought Junior Witter for the WBC title in Nottingham, England for his WBC title. What are your thoughts on that fight and what did it mean to you?

Tim Bradley – That fight meant everything to me. I was chasing that WBC title, that was the only belt I wanted as a kid. I had to have it and I felt if I had the opportunity I was going to take full advantage and was going to win and I was able to. Thank god I was strong enough, he gave me the strength and he gave my trainers the knowledge and myself the ability to go to England. That crowd over there. The amateur experience came into play because I’ve already traveled across pond and I’ve already faced the top amateur’s. So I had the experience to travel and I knew that. I felt I couldn’t be denied. Junior Witter was a great fighter at that time, a lot of people argue “Oh Devon stopped him”. I fought Junior Witter when Junior Witter hadn’t lost in years, the only loss he had was to Zab Judah and that was 6 or 7 years ago. Witter was number two fighter right behind Ricky Hatton and this guy was just full of confidence coming off a great knock out win over Vivian Harris, he was at the top of his game. He was one of the most feared boxers in the game. I fought Witter when he was at that point. Devon fought Witter after I shattered everything I took what Witter wanted and what made Witter, holding on to the WBC belt. I pretty much gave Devon the blueprint to beat Witter. To outbox him, to stay patient. I softened him up. Witter had to come to my hometown which is ironic because I went to his and he had to come over to my hometown to face Devon. That shows you how hard it is, ask Witter. I fought him at his best.

Anson Wainwright – When you went to England, were you well looked after or was there some gamesmanship?

The hotel we stayed in was quite pleasant, the people, the concierge, everybody was very nice to me. When we arrived my room wasn’t ready. I arrived at 2 in the afternoon and the room wasn’t ready. So I had to sleep on the ground for 3 hours in the computer room, I was exhausted from the plane ride. Then I get in my room and my A.C doesn’t work. God forbid it was hot outside at that time. It was very hot and muggy in my room, I stuck it out. I just said this is what it’s all about, I’ll deal with it. So that went on. The day later they checked my weight and before I left the house I was 143 pounds and I’m like I should be lighter. I didn’t eat much on the plane, I drank a bottle of water. You know when you come off a plane your 2 or 3 pounds lighter because of radiation you become dehydrated on that plane. So I was 146 pounds and I was like what the hells going on here. I said they must be wrong. They said they’d check in a couple of days. So they came back two days later and I checked the scales again and was like 145 pounds. I was like I’ve been training the last few days, there’s no way I can be 145 pounds. So what I did was check my weigh on scales which I brought, I always bring my own scales. I weighed 142, so I went downstairs and said “Hey your scales are wrong” and my trainer told me to go back upstairs and what he did was take our scales, there scales and one from the training room and we got a 25Ibs dumbbell and placed them on each scale. My scale said 25Ibs, then we checked the training room scale and it said 25Ibs and we used there scale it said 28Ibs. We said that scale is wrong. Whether they were doing it on purpose or not, I don’t think they’d do it on purpose but maybe they were trying to drain me, make me work harder during the week than I should be. That was my experience fighting Witter for the Championship coming out hearing all the boo’s. It could get under your skin but like I say I was on a mission and there was no way I was losing that fight.

Anson Wainwright – They say that when a fighter wins a World title it makes him a better fighter. Would you say this is the case with you?

Tim Bradley – Absolutely, because of the confidence it goes a long way. When you have the confidence in yourself, you have that title wrapped around you or strapped across your chest you have something your fighting for. It makes you feel much better or greater. The fact you have a target on your back you work harder during training. You work harder because you want to keep that title it’s your bread and butter, that’s how you eat. So you improve.

Anson Wainwright – You were ringside for Khan-Maidana what did you think of that fight?

Tim Bradley – That fight was awesome, it was one of the best fights I’ve seen in a long time. Due to the fact Khan stood there at times, sat on the ropes. I figured Khan would move all night and make it easy on himself, I guess Maidana was able to close the gap on him and wear him out a bit. Khan was hitting him with serious combination’s. I bet Khan was like “Gee I’m hitting this guy with my best punches and this guys still in my face”. I don’t know if he was discouraged in there but they felt that pressure. I couldn’t get him out of his face. He boxed off the ropes, I don’t think that was part of the game plan at all. Khan showed a tremendous amount of heart, that he’s a true champion. He disproved me and the critics out there. He does have a chin. Maidana showed how clever he is and how he’s like a little pit bull. He has no quit in his heart, that makes for a dangerous guy especially with his heart, he’s fearless.

Anson Wainwright – Did you see things you could implement in your strategy against those guys?

Tim Bradley – Absolutely, Khan is really young, I’m young myself and we all have a lot to learn in this game. We’re not veterans yet. We’re still grooming ourselves into great fighters and superstars. I’m working on that, I’m going to get better. I feel Khan fought the best that he could and thank Khan for fighting that fight he did because we’d never known he had the heart he did. Let alone you see Maidana get up from an hellacious liver shot and comeback. This guys a freaking animal, I was blown away. These guys are tougher than I thought but there are things I can capitalize on with both fighters.

Anson Wainwright – Do you feel as though having gone to 147 and fought a big puncher like Abregu that the power of guys like Maidana wouldn’t be a problem for you down at 140?

Tim Bradley – Yeah absolutely. At 140 I think I’m a nightmare for anybody. Maidana I know would keep coming at me. I’d just get ready for that. Get on my toes, on my bicycle and just box him for 12 rounds and make it an easy fight. Don’t stand and trade with this guy. Pot shot him from the outside, make him miss, right, left and give him so many angles.

Anson Wainwright – You have only fought once in 2010 up at Welterweight. Why was this? How did you feel at 147?

Tim Bradley – I really wanted to test the waters at 147, I wanted to leave that option open. I needed a test, a strong test to see if Welterweight was for me or not. Luis Abregu was a bigger puncher, very dangerous, very big. He was very unproven but he still was a dangerous guy. This guy had hands of stone. I really wanted to show the Boxing world I’m willing to go up in weight and fight the best to see if I had the ability to withstand the punching power at that weight. I took Abregu’s power very well and I can compete with anybody at 147 in the world. I felt great, I felt stronger, I felt like I had a little bit more power in my punches. I was less tired at 147, I have to put a lot of energy at 147. I was able to put out a lot of energy but I had a lot in reserve. So it wasn’t as stressful on my body at 147, it’s more natural. I walk around about 160.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing to relax?

Tim Bradley – I’m a big car freak, I love cars. When I’m away from Boxing I like to go check out cars, go to auctions and look at some old school car’s, get on-line and look for some nice deals on some old school cars and pick them up. I like to spend time with family. I do a lot of community work, I go to different schools and talk to students, tell them high schools important and what school was like for me. I have a football league that I help run, I’m the president of Juniors in Cathedral City where I live. My daughter does gymnastics. So I’m pretty much a family type of guy. I stay close to home, I’m very spontaneous and whatever I want to do that day I do.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for Boxing fans ahead of your fight with Alexander?

Tim Bradley – Pretty much to all Boxing fans out there. I love and appreciate the support from all my fans. Especially when I’m fighting I’m not only fighting for myself and family I’m fighting for my team, for god and my Boxing fans out there. There standing behind me and there giving me that backbone saying Timmy Bradley is a force to be reckoned with and everybody needs to recognize that and that means a lot to me. I don’t want Boxing fans to be like “Ah Tim Bradley’s a joke, I want them to say Tim Bradley delivers. I can depend on Tim Bradley, he’s going to put on a great show, he’s going to perform as best his best each time, i can trust him”.

Thanks for your time Tim, good luck on the 29 January.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Remaining tickets, priced from $25-$400, can be purchased at the Silverdome box office, by calling (248) 338-2500 or online at www.silverdometickets.com.

HBO Boxing: Ring Life – Timothy Bradley

What inspires Timothy Bradley in and out of the ring? Alexander vs. Bradley happens Sat., Jan. 29th at 10pm ET/7pm PT on HBO

http://www.youtube.com/hbosports#p/u/0/YC55PfMm5Es

Legendary Promoter Don King discusses Cotto – Mayorga as well as Alexander – Bradley

St Louis is a Sporting town they have three major franchises The Blues, The Rams & The Cardinals with the later being very successful. Second only to the Yankees in terms of World series they have won. If Devon “The Great” Alexander 21-0(13) wins his upcoming unification with Tim Bradley on 29 January they could well have a new franchise. Alexander 23, is one of the City’s big success stories already having won the WBC & IBF 140 titles. Earlier this year he was awarded the key to the City for his hard work and what he has achieved. He regularly gives back to the community and is trying to help the less privileged in his hometown which was voted the most dangerous in America in 2010. It was that crime that saw his talented older brother end up in prison, to Alexander’s credit he has steered clear of that and will hope that he can kick of his 2011 with a win against Bradley and prove that he’s one of the most dangerous fighters in the world.

Hello Devon, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You have a huge unification fight with Tim Bradley coming up in early 2011. What are your thoughts on that fight?

Devon Alexander – It’s a big fight that everybody wanted to see, it’s what HBO want to see. It’s a big fight. It’s a very good thing (That the fight is happening)

Anson Wainwright – What do you think are Bradley’s strong points?

Devon Alexander – He’s going to come in shape, in extreme shape. He’s coming in for 12 rounds. That’s the only thing I see Bradley has and that’s his strong suit. So I better be in shape, I better be in shape to do 15rounds.

Anson Wainwright – What about weak points?

Devon Alexander – He butts with his head and I may be able to capitalize on that. He swings wild, real wild, so I’ll see everything he throws. So he’ll be pretty much open to anything I throw.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at? What is your walk around weight between fights?

Devon Alexander – My promoter is Don King and my trainer & manager is Kevin Cunningham. I train at Barry’s gym in Vegas and in St Louis at Marquette Center. It depends, I don’t get any higher than 155.

Anson Wainwright – Working with Don King is sure to be very entertaining, can you tell us one of the funny stories that has happened with you?

Devon Alexander – There are a lot but none spring to mind. But he’s always cracking jokes, you have to get to know him to see what he’s about. A lot of people got there own judgments on him.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how life was for you growing up a boy in St Louis?

Devon Alexander – It was pretty rough. You had to stay focused be in the house on time. You’d hear gunshots and fighting when i was growing up.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how you first became interested in Boxing and then took it up?

Devon Alexander – Well my coach opened a gym at Higher Park which was an Old Police Station and when I was going to school my coach was a security guard over there. He was starting a gym. My brother went and he brought me and I’ve been with Kevin Cunningham ever since.

Anson Wainwright – You had an impressive amateur career, can you tell us some of the tournaments & titles you won? Also what guys in the pro’s did you fight back then? What was your final record?

Devon Alexander – I won 4 National Silver gloves titles, I won the PAL two times, Ringside, I won the US Championships. I fought over sea’s. I won the Sweden Cup and the Hungary Cup. Numerous one’s, Under 19 tournaments. So it was a lot. I fought Rock Allen, but must of the guys i fought pretty much aint doing anything in the pro game. My brother fought Timothy Bradley and lost 4-6 I think. I was 300-12 something like that.

Anson Wainwright – The Light Welterweight division is talent packed with many impressive fighters what are your thoughts on Khan-Maidana, Judah-Matthysse & Ortiz-Peterson?

Devon Alexander – They were good fights. HBO really kicked the 140 division off. The best fight the best. Aint no getting around it. They really started it off. Now people got to put up or shut up.

Anson Wainwright – Were you impressive with Amir Khan?

Devon Alexander – Mmm no, he did what I thought he had to do. Nothing special, that I saw that he did. Anybody can box Maidana, anybody can move on him and out slick him. He did what he had to do to get the victory. It was a good fight, so I take nothing away from him.

Anson Wainwright – Your elder brother Vaughn was also a very talented boxer some people even said that he was the more talented of the two of you? Can you tell us about Vaughn and how he’s doing in Prison?

Devon Alexander – When he was growing up he was hanging out with the wrong crowd. He got into some trouble trying to rob some people and you saw the result of it, now he’s sitting in prison. He’s ok, I hate to see him in there though, the things he’s going through cos I know that’s not what he’s used to. But he’s got to do what he’s got to do. Now days he’s coping with it, doing what he has to do to survive while he’s in there.

Anson Wainwright – Do you see him often? What’s his situation with regards how long he’s in there for etc?

Devon Alexander – Before I went to camp I went to see him. He goes for parole in 2012, he’ll be ok. He’ll make it back and show the world that he is a champion too. It wont be to late for him, we’ll have to see. He’ll be 26/27 when he reaches parole.

Anson Wainwright – You were awarded the Key to St Louis, that is obviously a huge honor can you tell us about what it & what it meant to you?

Devon Alexander – It was after the Urango fight that they gave me the key to the City. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. From a kid brought up in the rough, rough parts of North St Louis. It’s just amazing. For the mayor to look at me and think i deserve the key to the City, for them to do it is an honour. Not anybody can get the key to the City but I did. It was a great feeling.

Anson Wainwright – Earlier in your career you were probably fighting in Cory Spinks shadow, now your very much the premier fighter from St Louis and there franchise fighter. What can you tell us about this?

Devon Alexander – With Cory, when I was coming up I just waited my time. I was on the undercards of Cory Spinks, moving along like a snail and waiting my turn and know I’m the big draw in St Louis. It feels good, I think I’m handling it well. I’m still staying focused. A lot of people know me in St Louis and around the world. I’m getting the opportunity’s, there’s a lot of guys who box that don’t ever get the opportunities I have had.

Anson Wainwright – What sort of duty’s go with this responsibility? Can you tell us some of the things you do? Cancun for the WBC Convention.

Devon Alexander – Before my last fight with Kotelnik we had a thing down at City Hall and I gave away $10,000 to the St Louis Boxing program. I just help in anyway I can. I definitely want to give back because I was one of the one’s that got helped and was fortunate to get help. I just want to show god I am appreciative and am going to do right by everything.

Anson Wainwright – A couple of months back you were in Cancun for the WBC Convention. Can you tell us about that?

Devon Alexander – It’s a big thing the WBC convention. That’s huge. I think that’s the best belt in the world. I think everybody wants to be WBC champ. It’s an honor for them to know me and recognize me. Some of the greatest fighters of all time were at the convention so for me to stand there with people that control and made the WBC is awesome.

Anson Wainwright – Growing up who were your favorite fighters and why? Who do you admire today?

Devon Alexander – I didn’t have a favorite fighter. I liked them all. I just watched the fights. Nowadays the fights I do watch are the people on top of the game. I take a bit from them and implement it in my game, try to make my game better.

Anson Wainwright – You have a pretty neat party piece with your bicep. Can you tell us about this?

Devon Alexander – Haha well I don’t know, that’s something I’ve been doing since I started fighting. I guess it comes from push ups but it’s an un ordinary looking muscle. They said that looks like an egg or rock or something. It’s been since like that since I was young.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Devon Alexander – To my fans thanks for my support, following me, sticking by me and 29 January your going to see “The Great” victorious and you going to see I am number 1 in this division.

Thanks for your time Devon, keep up the good work.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

HBO Boxing: Ring Life – Devon Alexander

Ring Life takes an intimate look inside the life of Devon Alexander. Alexander vs. Bradley happens Sat., Jan. 29th at 10pm ET/7pm PT on HBO

http://www.youtube.com/hbosports#p/u/1/CCL0CWerL0Q

Remaining tickets, priced from $25-$400, can be purchased at the Silverdome box office, by calling (248) 338-2500 or online at www.silverdometickets.com

Midweek Musings – Happy Birthday to Muhammad Ali who turned 69 yesterday & Bernard Hopkins who was 46 on Saturday & Roy Jones Jnr who was 42 on Sunday…Looks like Nathan Cleverly will get his title chance against Jurgen Braehmer with the working date mooted to be 19 March…With Lamont Peterson having priced himself out of a fight with Amir Khan the new favorite to get the assignment is Northern Ireland’s Paul McCloskey, he’s a very capable fighter who could give Khan trouble, though it would obviously be a huge step up from European level where he currently operates…Last week Hennessy Promotions won the rights to promote Matthew Macklin-Darren Barker, which is one of the most anticipated British fights at the moment. Originally it looked like Barker may have a warm up in February now it appears he will go straight to the fight possible around April time.

If there are any fighters you would like to hear from you can contact me on elraincoat@live.co.uk

Much has been made about poor ticket sales for Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley versus Devon Alexander “The Great.” The venue, Silverdome – originally so named because of the glare off its white fiberglass roof – has been criticized. Along with its undefeated fighters. Along with the black community to which Bradley-Alexander should appeal on Jan. 29.

Is such criticism just? Perhaps. But if we’re going to make a fetish of removing prizefights from casino settings and putting them in spots with local interest, we owe it to “The Super Fight” and our sport to suspend judgment and attend the event.

I’ll be there even though getting there is a logistical mess. The fight is not in Detroit. It is in Pontiac, Mich., 35 miles due north.

That means renting a car at the airport. And no, there aren’t many direct flights from South Texas to DTW. There will also be the questions of where the hell the press conference and weigh-in happen. All that, of course, is before you consider the lunacy of traveling from 60-degree days to a spot between Lakes Erie and Huron, in January.

But I want to see Detroit. I want to see if it could possibly be as Charlie LeDuff described it a few months ago in Mother Jones.

“Today—75 years after the beavers disappeared from the Detroit River—‘Detroitism’ means something completely different,” wrote LeDuff. “It means uncertainty and abandonment and psychopathology.”

Psychopathology. In an American city? We like to think such things are kept below the border in abattoirs like Ciudad Juarez.

As always, then, this boxing trip is an excuse to see a city with fresh eyes. Preliminary emails with young locals provide some happy possibilities. They say Detroit is in the midst of a rebirth. It’s not even 40 miles from Ann Arbor, after all, and so many University of Michigan undergrads set loose on an urban center that is “rewilding” – having places abandoned so long they return to their natural state – might just give the place a social consciousness, along with a conscience.

Well, why not? When they graduate, those kids aren’t finding jobs anyway.

But I’m also going to “The Super Fight” to support two undefeated titlists and make a challenge to the community that shaped them.

Timothy Bradley is the favorite among knowledgeable boxing folks – people who actually skip rope and hit heavy bags and know how easily hand-speed can be neutralized when it’s set atop a shaky foundation. Bradley’s style is a relentless one. He is a volume guy, the most exciting kind of fighter. And his matchmaking approach has undergone a recent and refreshing revision.

The year 2010 was about staying undefeated, he said last week on a promotional conference call. This year, conversely, is about making the best fights.

“My biggest goal in boxing is just to be remembered,” Bradley said. “I don’t want to be forgotten about.”

You hear that? It’s the sound of a smart young fighter reviewing the “Money May” bio and deciding it’s a cautionary tale, not an epic. The Bradley-Alexander conference call in some ways felt as though it were marking a reevaluation of Floyd Mayweather’s self-indulgent template. Like a realization that Mayweather’s money will be gone soon enough, but may still outlive his legacy.

A number of folks are now able to see the day when a 30 for 30-type documentary will be made about “The Greatest Fight that Never Was.” On the A-side will be President of the Philippines Many Pacquiao addressing a roiling crowd of one million countrymen. On the B-side, meanwhile, Mayweather will be in a poorly lit gym, working the hand pads with a Golden Gloves runner-up and saying, “Everyone knows I’d a beat ‘Pooch-iao’.”

Devon Alexander does not have Bradley’s loquaciousness, but he has a quiet confidence that is appealing. And he has something else Bradley does not seem to have yet: An ability to sell tickets. Some of that is his promoter. Even in a grieving state, Don King is a master ticket-seller. But some of that, too, is Alexander’s admirable calmness.

Until last week’s call, I’d not given him much of a chance against Bradley. He looked most vulnerable in August against Andriy Kotelnik. His trainer is a loud motivator who seems never to have noticed how alarmingly his charge’s guard strays while jabbing.

But something about Alexander’s demeanor made me rethink things. He was happy to let Bradley play emcee. He knew Bradley was better at talking, and so he let him talk. He seemed eerily comfortable in his role, offering little more than variations on a “now is my time” theme. Alexander might just have the perfect temperament to foil a Desert Storm.

Which leaves us with a challenge of sorts for the black community that shaped Bradley and Alexander. On last week’s conference call, both men slipped a question about what their match – two undefeated African-Americans fighting just north of a city that is 83 percent black – might mean to their community. Bradley said it was a great fight for Americans, not just African-Americans. Alexander said it was a throwback event.

“This is a fight like the old days,” he said. “The greats wanted to fight the best.”

Why would they slip such a question? Maybe because they’re afraid their people won’t show up. Boxing insiders use words like “invisible” when describing the black community and live gates; they may rally round a pay-per-view event every few years, but don’t expect them to fill an arena.

Well, this is a chance to surprise some folks – like they do at Alexander’s fights in St. Louis. This is a chance for Don King to work a crowd as only he knows how. This is a chance to roar a bit and prove to the country Detroit has more to offer than psychopathology.

A few of us will be there to report it, do believe. As it is. However it turns out.

Bart Barry can be reached at bbarry@15rounds.com.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the January 29 showdown between Jr. Welterweight beltholders, Devon Alexander and Tomothy Bradley will take place at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.

“We’re going to the Silverdome, [outside of] Detroit. It’s done,” Said Gary Shaw who promotes Bradley.

“The two finalists were Atlanta and Detroit and at the end of the day, we felt Detroit was the best place to the put the fight. Detroit is a great fight town and has a rich fight history,” Shaw said of the city that produced several boxing stars, including Thomas Hearns. “We’re excited to go there and give them a great fight with these two great young fighters. HBO has promised to put a lot of muscle behind this fight.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, talks have re-heated for a proposed January showdown between 140 lb titlists Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander.

Alexander has already agreed to the January 29 fight as well as a proposed rematch in the late spring.

Bradley was balking that he would have to sign a contract extension with his promoter Gary Shaw.

However, Bradley and his managers, Cameron Dunkin and Michael Miller, have not been able to come to terms with Shaw.

The issue has been Shaw’s demand that Bradley agree to an extension of their promotional contract beyond its May 10 expiration as part of the deal to get the fight with Alexander, which Bradley and his team rejected.

However, the breakthrough came Friday, when the managers said Shaw offered Bradley a two-fight deal — the Alexander fight plus an automatic rematch, win or lose — and agreed to end his demand for a contract extension.

“HBO is willing to do both fights and so are we, as long as the rematch takes place by May,” Miller said. “But we’d give them until June 4.”

“We talked to Tim and he’s interested in the deal, but he wants to talk it over with is wife,” Miller said. “He thinks the money is still short, but he wants the fight. He’s supposed to get back to us Monday.”

“I won’t tell my fighter to sign a long-term agreement before he listens to other offers,” Dunkin said. “But this is going to be Timmy’s call on what he wants to do. He’ll tell us what he wants to do and we’ll go from there.”

Devon Alexander “The Great” says he is his own worst critic. He’s lucky that position is filled. Because if Alexander were accepting applications for his Worst Critic position, this week he might be inundated with resumes.

Sifting through such applications, Alexander would likely find critics long on enthusiasm as they are short on expertise – just like the folks who’d already anointed him boxing’s next prodigy and tuned in to Saturday’s fight expecting a coronation that did not come.

What did come, however, was an entertaining fight Alexander won with heart, chin and activity. Saturday on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” program, at Scottrade Center in his hometown of St. Louis, Alexander outhustled Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnik to win by three scores of 116-112. How consequential were those scores? Their reading drew the loudest applause of the night.

I had it for Alexander, too, but by a slimmer margin: 116-115. I gave him rounds 1, 2, 5, 10 and 11. Rounds 3, 6, 8 and 9 went to Kotelnik. And I scored rounds 4, 7 and 12 even.

It was a fight that posed a fundamental question of preference. If you like activity, you scored it for Alexander. If you like craft, you scored it for Kotelnik – who landed more, meaningful punches than Alexander despite throwing a fraction as many.

Well, I like activity. I favor ineffective aggressiveness only slightly less than I favor its effective cousin. Rewarding busier fighters, over the long haul, leads to better fights. It encourages those who are busy to remain busy. And more importantly, it tells those who are not busy to keep fights out of the judges’ hands. Both make for good results.

I almost didn’t get a chance to score Alexander-Kotelnik live. Comedian Ron White was playing downstairs at the Majestic Theatre. And after watching Alexander’s fight with Juan Urango in March, I was not expecting a coronation.

White is a native Texan, a breed of persons you grow fonder of the more time you spend round them. He’s been practicing his craft for 26 years, while only being famous for about eight of them. On stage, he is comfortable. He relaxes. His persona is well-aged. White fears no sudden call for improvisation.

Alexander, meanwhile, seems not yet to have been allowed proper aging as a professional. He has the biography – kid from a dangerous neighborhood adopted by a trainer who’s a retired cop – that storytellers never tire of telling, even as their audiences wither under the repetition. He has fast hands, and one enormous technical flaw.

It’s his jab. No, not the way he pushes it sideways like someone who’s watched too many Apollo Creed highlights or worked in Cleto Reyes bag gloves for more than a week (a column of its own). Rather, it’s what happens to the left hand in his southpaw stance while his right hand is out flicking. It’s the sort of thing that happens when a youngster hears the word “snap” too many times, as in “Snap that jab!”

You see this in the gym. A kid comes to the bag or mitts ready to snap those jabs. But generally, that requires a cocking of some kind. The kid either drops his lead glove first – like a baseball hitter hitching his swing – or he pushes his opposite hand away from his face, as Alexander does. It is incumbent upon a trainer to stop whatever else is going on, at that moment, and tell the kid to get his guard back in place.

How did the rest of us miss this during Alexander’s last fight? That’s the very question I asked a respected peer in Dallas the night before Pacquiao-Clottey, six days after Alexander stopped Urango. His explanation? Writers who have never boxed are spellbound by hand speed.

From a foundation of quick hands, that is, there’s almost no edifice of acclaim for a prizefighter they cannot erect. They start to see accuracy, power, footwork, defensive wizardry, and finally, greatness. Along the way, they stop looking for flaws.

Kotelnik sure wasn’t spellbound by Alexander’s hand speed Saturday, and he found plenty of flaws. He did not exploit Alexander’s questionable defense often as he should, no, but he exploited it enough to give a lot of Alexander enthusiasts pause. He also gave Alexander’s trainer Kevin Cunningham pause. Cunningham began the night as a fire-breathing motivator and ended it with a much quieter mien.

“Listen to me, man, listen to me, hey, you gotta listen to me, man, listen to me,” said Cunningham for the first half of Alexander’s one-minute break after the eighth round. “You’re getting suckered into some bullshit.”

That he was. Ultimately, though, Alexander got through the fight with the one part of his arsenal which does seem verifiably great: His chin. Alexander took a number of clean shots in the championship rounds but never relented. His first impulse was to fire back at his inquisitor. You can’t teach that, and it probably won him some new admirers.

Then came the standing ovation the nervous St. Louis crowd gave the judges’ decision. Then came the last of the night’s bad decisions when – in what seemed to be a tactic better planned than most, Saturday – Alexander borrowed from his trainer a shirt that read “Bradley U Next” during his post-fight interview. Timothy Bradley, the recognized champion at 140 pounds, is the opponent Alexander wants next.

Bad idea, Devon. Bradley would go right through Alexander’s defense and test that excellent chin at least thrice as often as Kotelnik did. Bradley’s a more effective puncher who has better footwork than Alexander, is at least as well conditioned, and is more accustomed to winning ugly.

For the time being, Alexander needs to eschew the greatness track and get back on the Andre Berto track, blasting former champions from smaller weight divisions and outpointing predictable South Americans for good money. Lucky for him, he’s on the right cable network to do exactly that.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter.com/bartbarry

Devon Alexander’s speed, ring generalship, athleticism and pure boxing ability are without question.

Coming into Saturday night, Alexander impressively defeated three current or former world champions and at age 23, many felt he was one of the best young boxers on the planet. But following twelve tougher than expected rounds against Andriy Kotelnik, gaps in his defense were clearly exposed. The fighter dubbed as “Alexander the Great” looked far from it.

Alexander consistently worked behind a jab and straight left hand in attempt to keep his slower, more economical opponent off. The WBC/IBF Junior Welterweight champion dictated most of the pace throughout the twelve round contest however, Kotelnik had no problem tagging the unbeaten hometown favorite when he closed the gap.

On a number of occasions, Kotelnik effectively flurried which clearly made Alexander, who bled near his left eye in the second half of the fight from an earlier clash of heads, uncomfortable.

Alexander vacated his game plan down the stretch, fighting toe to toe to the delight of a packed house at the Scottrade Center and the dismay of Trainer Kevin Cunningham. Had Kotelnik been busier, he may have been able to overcome the 11 to 1 odds stacked against him, but Alexander’s ability to keep his hands moving gave him the nod.

Scores were 116-112 on all three cards; all four if you count mine.

Alexander, who hails from St. Louis, is now 21-0 with 13 KO’s. Although he fell to 31-4-1 (13 KO’s), Kotelnik returns to Kiev, Ukraine as a serious threat in the 140 lb division.

In the televised co-feature, Tavoris “Thunder” Cloud retained his IBF Light Heavyweight title with a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision over heralded tough guy and former world champion Glen “Road Warrior” Johnson.

Johnson and Cloud stood toe to toe in the opening two stanzas, with the latter getting briefly buzzed following a right hand in the second. The two fighters exchanged rounds from that point forward, as each man had spurts of success. The 41 year old Johnson worked well in close quarters, relying on jabs, right hands and body punches, giving Cloud all he could handle.

The Tallahassee, FL based Cloud rocked and nearly dropped Johnson in rounds 5, 9 and 11 following a plethora of heavy head shots that would have decked any other fighter in the division. The younger and fresher Cloud clearly landed the cleaner, harder punches en route to sending Johnson, who gassed out in the final two rounds, home with yet another close defeat.

Scores were 116-112 on all three cards. 15rounds.com scored the bout 115-113 for Cloud.

Cloud, of Tallahassee, FL, is now 21-0 with 18 wins by kayo. Johnson, of Miami, FL via Jamaica, falls to 50-14-1 (34) following yet another tough defeat.

FLASH QUOTES

WBC/IBF 140 POUND LIMIT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

DEVON ALEXANDER VS. ANDRIY KOTELNIK

DEVON ALEXANDER

(Prior to the decision announcement) “We good. I think I did enough to win. (After the decision announcement) It was an okay performance for me. I am my own toughest critic. Kotelnik is a tough fighter, an ex-world champion. Like I told everyone, I have an A, B and C plan. I have all three, so I can adjust to whatever anyone brings. Kotelnik trained hard. Give him credit. I listened to my trainer (Kevin Cunningham). He told me to box. (Leg issue) My left leg was going out on me in the final round. I had a cramp. I trained for 12 rounds and got the victory. That is what I came here to do.

(On the cut to his right eye) It was my first cut, but I fought through it like a world champion does. We knew Kotelnik would come in, in shape and he did.”

ANDRIY KOTELNIK

“I want the belt. I deserve it. If the fight were anywhere but here, I would be champion. I am speechless. I have no words to describe what happened. That guy has something that belongs to me.”

TRAINER STACEY MCKINLEY (to Kotelnik are the fight)

“Everyone knows the fight was closer than that. In fact, you won the fight.”

IBF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

TAVORIS CLOUD VS. GLEN JOHNSON

TAVORIS CLOUD

“I was head butted a lot. It was a heck of a fight. I have a lot of respect for Glen. I had the most effective punches. I hurt him worse. Glen Johnson said I was off balance. It is the same thing. You got hurt because I hit you. I was looking for a shot to get him out. He’s a slick fighter, so I didn’t get the KO. I definitely want to fight Chad Dawson. I was a little rusty tonight, so I will be better next time. I am a bad man. I going to be a unified world champion and undisputed champion.”

GLEN JOHNSON

“I made some adjustments throughout the fight. He was throwing a lot of punches, but I was blocking most of them. But the judges were counting them all. He caught me with a punch over there that I was not ready for. I was off balance and that was the only time I got caught.”

WBC USNBC CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

RYAN COYNE VS. WARREN BROWNING

RYAN COYNE

“Browning was a tough guy. He thought he would have the power advantage, coming all the way down from heavyweight. The truth is, I will walk you down, lock you in the closet and defeat you. We did what we came to do. Win a championship and make my promoter, Don King, proud. This is a great fight town. Leon, Michael, Cory, Devon and all the rest. I am just proud to be following in their footsteps.”

IBF JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPCORY SPINKS VS. CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE

CORY SPINKS

“The referee stopped the fight, but I don’t know why. I totally disagree. He didn’t even hit me and I lost my title.”

TRAINER BUDDY MCGIRT

“Cory is a world champion and I think a world champion deserves the benefit of the doubt in that situation.”

REFEREE MARK NELSON

“Spinks had a staggered and dazed look. He shook his head (after the knockdown) as if to say, no. At the count of eight, he stepped backwards and I didn’t want his opponent to hit him again in that condition.”

CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE

“I knew I was going to get him. It was just a matter of time. I want Manny Pacquaio next. I am thankful. We have the best team in the land with Keith Lee, Emanuel Steward and Don King. I went after it. He was right there at the opening bell, so I went for it. I went right after him. It was just a matter of time.”

EMANUEL STEWARD

“It was a good fight. It could have been better. He was too anxious. He wasted a lot of energy. It has never been in this big of a fight. He is in a hot division and I am sure he will get a lot of offers.”

Devon Alexander and Andriy Kotelnik weigh-in for their IBF/WBC 140 lb championship fight in St. Louis

Video by Ed Keenan / EMC Events

Devon Alexander and Andriy Kotelnik meet the media before their IBF/WBC 140 lb title fight in St. Louis

Video by Ed Keenan / EMC Events

VIDEO: ED KEENAN/EMC EVENTS

Devon Alexander is the irresistible story that explains the battered game’s inexhaustible resiliency.

As reports of the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather talks continue to sound like a sequel to Seinfeld’s theme about nothing, along comes Alexander and the junior-welterweight division with a chance to talk about something real.

I’m not sure what to make of Alexander, unbeaten (20-0, 13 KOs) and in possession of the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles. Not yet anyway. Don King, who loves references to ancient history and is old enough to be one, is calling him The Great. Maybe he is. Or will be.

Standing in his way, however, are Tim Bradley, Amir Khan, Marcos Maidana and Victor Ortiz, just a few who will try to turn him into Alexander The Wannabe.

In Alexander’s immediate path Saturday night in hometown St. Louis on HBO, there is Andriy Kotelnik (30-3-1, 13 KOs), an able Ukrainian who probably finds motivation in Russian Dmitry Pirog’s stoppage last Saturday that knocked-much hyped Danny Jacobs, The Golden Child, out of the ranks of middleweight contenders. Pirog’s stunner is a timely memo, reminding Alexander that a nickname only makes the target a lot bigger.

If Alexander doesn’t get deluded and decked by historical allusions, headlines and assorted other feints, he can help recreate interest in a business that has been backed into a dark and dull corner by the Pacquiao-Mayweather talks to nowhere.

Alexander’s well-documented story, tried and true, is a perfect fit for the timeless drama that always has a role for somebody who shakes circumstances and adversity that condemns neighborhood and friends to poverty and jail. Alexander, a child of the Midwest’s meanest streets in north St. Louis, is winning that one, thanks to a cop-turned-trainer, Kevin Cunningham.

King has almost sounded like a grandfather when talking about Alexander on conference calls and at news conferences. Alexander is a chance, one more opportunity, at getting back to the big-time for the aging promotional lion. Alexander lived at King’s home in Las Vegas while he trained for Kotelnik.

On the streets, Alexander whipped temptations more dangerous than Kotelnik, a former World Boxing Association champion. But in the here-and-now, only Kotelnik matters. A few weeks ago, the talk was about Bradley, whom Alexander has been pursuing for a long time. Neither Cunningham nor Alexander was impressed with Bradley’s welterweight experiment, a unanimous decision last month over Carlos Luis Abregu of Argentina. “A subpar decision,’’ Cunningham said.

Real subpar, Alexander said.

“I didn’t see nothing special,’’ said Alexander, whose potential for stardom continued to emerge in a stoppage of Juan Urango in his last bout. “I don’t really see the hype about, you know: Am I up to Timothy Bradley’s skill level. I mean, he has heart, but nothing special. It was a lame performance.’’

After beating Abregu, Bradley announced he wanted to fight Pacquiao. Other than Mayweather, who doesn’t? But Cunningham called Bradley’s predictable declaration a “disgrace.”

Alexander, Cunningham says, doesn’t talk about fighting Pacquiao or Mayweather. He can’t, Cunningham said. There’s too much else to do, a lot left to conquer. It took a long time for the ancient Alexander to be great. His story was a long one.

Hopefully, the modern Alexander’s story will be too.
NOTES, ANECDOTES

· The $115-million lawsuit against Mike Tyson is either a result of too many unemployed lawyers, or web sites starving for frivolous content, or all of the above. Somebody named Mike Landrum, 49, filed the suit in Los Angeles, alleging that Tyson stole his nickname, “Iron Mike.’’ TMZ reported Landrum was 6-4 as a fighter and alleged he was unable to get fights or endorsements because Tyson had ripped off his moniker. Maybe, TMZ got that record from Lindsay Lohan. According to boxrec.com, Landrum was 0-2 as a junior-middleweight, losing in the first round in 1982 and in the second round in 1985. The pick here is that Landrum is about to go 0-3. ·

It was Deja vu all over again in news last week of an eviction notice filed against Mayweather’s promotional company. Through an attorney, the landlord said Mayweather owes $63,000 in back rent. Mayweather has until Aug. 17 to respond, or exactly one month after he failed to respond to Bob Arum’s deadline for a yea or nay on a deal to fight Pacquiao on Nov. 13.

After an evening of uninspiring undercard bouts, the main event between Devon Alexander and Juan Urango delivered in a big way. Two 140 pound titles were at stake: the IBF held by Urango and the WBC held by Alexander. The fight was competitive from the start as Alexander worked behind a crisp jab while Urango, in usual fashion, steamed forward headfirst throwing punches. What was surprising was how often Urango was able to land his sweeping right hook on the chin of the slick Alexander. Equally surprising was how little effect any of Urango’s punches, which are know for their power, seemed to have on Alexander. There was hardly a pause from Alexander when one of Urango’s rights connected and despite the frequency with which Urango landed, Alexander seemed determined to follow his gameplan of boxing from the outside. Initially, this seemed to be a bad strategy as Urango was able to get the best of the exchanges but as the fight unfolded, Alexander’s composure proved to pay off. He began to land jab straight right hand combos that kept Urango off balance and by the sixth, Alexander was unleashing 3 and 4 punch combos on the chin of Urango. By the 8th, the fight was very close and it seemed like it was going to remain that way for the rest of the fight as neither fighter was able to fully impose his will on the other. All that changed when Alexander was able to catch Urango with a perfectly timed right upper cut that punctuated a 3 punch combination. The upper cut put Urango down hard but in a scene reminiscent of Urango-Bailey, Juan was able to make it to his feet and continue fighting. Unfortunately for Urango, Alexander was a much better finisher than Bailey and dropped him with another flurry. Urango struggled to regain his footing and was wisely deemed unfit to continue by referee Benjy Esteves. The time of the stoppage was 1:12 of round number 8. Alexander is the division’s only unified champion and now stands at an impressive 20-0 13KOs. Urango’s record is now 22-3-1 17KOs but despite the loss, will no doubt still be able to land significant fights in a division that is beginning to make a serious case as being the best in boxing.

In a stunning upset, former super featherweight world titlist Steve Forbes (now fighting at welterweight) dropped an 8 round decision to journeyman Harrison Cuello. Forbes was simply outworked over much of the bout and seemed content to try and potshot Cuello with little result. To his credit, Cuello was there to fight and repeatedly hammered Forbes with left hands to the body and head. Forbes managed to pick up a few rounds with some body work and the occasional lazy jab, but Cuello was the busier fighter and his punches carried more steam. Thankfully the judges got it right and awarded the ecstatic Cuello the well deserved majority decision by scores of 78-74, 77-75 and 76-76. Cuello ups his record to 19-12-3 14KOs while Forbes, who should start thinking about retirement, drops to 34-8 10KOs.

Heavyweight Derric Rossy won a solid yet unspectacular unanimous decision over journeyman Zack Page and picked up the WBC USNBC title in the process. Rossy easily controlled the fight behind his jab and Page, who has scored a number of upsets in the past, seemed reluctant to offer up any kind of resistance. The sole moment of drama came in the sixth when Rossy stunned Page with a right upper cut and put him down moments later with a straight right hand. It was a hard knockdown and Page showed real determination to simply get up. It was to little avail though as Rossy continued to dominate the rest of the fight, claiming victory by scores of 117-110, 120-107 and 118-109. Rossy is now 25-2 14KOs while Page adds another L to his record which stands at 20-28-2 7KOs.

Contender alum Ryan Coyne kept his unbeaten record as he scraped by fellow crusierweight Paul Jennette over 8 rounds. Jennette took the first two rounds on activity alone as Coyne seemed reluctant to throw. Early on, Jennette simply walked in and banged away as Coyne did little to deter him from getting in close. By round three though, Coyne seemed to sense that he needed to pick up the pace and he began mount his offense in earnest. Coyne began to find a home for his straight left hand and staggered Jennette a number of times with it throughout the fight. Jennette fought back bravely though and managed to do enough to keep the fight close. Ultimately, Coyne was more effective and took the unanimous decision by scores of 77-75 (twice) and 78-74. He runs his record to 14-0-1ND 4KOs while Jennette falls to 11-3 8KOs.

Junior welterweights Andres Navarro and James Hope put on one of the most entertaining bouts of the evening as they slugged their way through all four rounds. Although both fighters threw with abandon, Hope was the busier and more effective fighter throughout. He managed to land a number of good left hook, right hand combos that caught the eye of the judges and the crowd. A left hook, right hand, left hook combo in round four staggered Navarro badly and put an exclamation point on Hope’s performance. He wasn’t able to finish Navarro but when the scores were handed in, they read 40-36 across the board in favor of Hope. With the win, Hope improves to 5-4 4KOs while Navarro slips to 4-3-1 4KOs.

Former Cruiserweight titlist Wayne Braithwaite made short work of his opponent Adam Harris, blowing him out in under a round. Braithwaite started slowly but upped the intensity mid-round, strafing Harris with body shots along the ropes. He then brought his attack upstairs, stunning Harris with a straight left to the head. Just before the bell, Braithwaite shot a left uppercut that dumped Harris to the canvas where he was counted out at 2:59 of the first round. Braithwaite improves his record to 24-4 with 20KOs while Harris drops his third in a row, falling to 10-3 7KOs.

The opening bout of the evening was a four round welterweight scrap between Angelo Santana (3-0 3KOs) and Darien Ford (11-19-2NC 4KOs.) Santana dominated the fight from bell to bell, dropping Ford twice in the third round and a final time right before the bell to end the fourth. Ford, more displeased than hurt, sat on the ground after the final knockdown while referee Arthur Mercante Jr. counted over him. Ford began to rise at 9 but was counted out before he got to his feet. Time of the stoppage was 2:59 of round 4.

Post-Fight Ring Quotes

Devon Alexander: “My coach told me to stay focused when Urango started bleeding [from the nose in the third round]. My coach said, ‘Don’t stand there and get hit.’

“His [Urango’s] punches did not hurt at all. I was surprised by that. Speed kills everything and that’s what I have.

“We trained all camp throwing the right uppercut.” Kevin Cunningham [trainer and manager] to Devon Alexander: “Did you hear me yell to you to throw the uppercut?” Alexander: “Yeah, I heard you!” Cunningham: “I told Devon to throw the uppercut, and he heard me. It was the magic shot. We trained all camp to throw that punch. We used speed to set up the power.”

Alexander: “I can beat anyone: Zab, Timothy Bradley, you name it. I want to come back to St. Louis and sell out the Scottrade center. I’m coming back to good old St. Lou with two world titles. This is very sweet.”

Juan Urango: “I’m very happy and satisfied with my performance tonight. Devon is a great champion and he came out and did his job. I performed well but Devon won tonight.”

Derric Rossy: “Page is a crafty, veteran fighter that can take a punch, no doubt about it. He knew how to take away the space I need to land my best shots. I dropped a big right hand on him in the sixth round and had him down and almost out. I think I tried too hard for the knockout instead of just letting it come.

“I could have let my hands go more in the closing rounds, but, like I said, he’s a crafty guy.”

Zack Page: “I wasn’t as good as I wanted to be tonight. I wasn’t in my best condition. I know that now. Rossy is a good fighter. He deserved the win tonight.”

Ryan Coyne: “I had him [Paul Jennette] hurt and almost out four of five times. I wish I could have knocked him out, but my power is getting better. I’ve been working with a strength and conditioning coach and it’s starting to come. I’m undefeated with 14 wins, so I’m happy.

“He [Jennette] came to fight, had a good chin and was in condition, but so am I.”

WBC Light Welterweight Champion Devon Alexander takes time out of camp to talk to the guys on the Sunday Sizzler! Alexander will face Juan Urango who is currently the IBF title holder. Catch this excellent interview from focused and humble Alexander. In addition, JSizzle and New York Dan will bring your the top boxing stories,and 15Rounds.com Marc Abrams will be LIVE on air with fight recaps and previews! Catch the live show Sunday 4pm est, and On Demand replays anytime afterwards.