Undefeated WBC No. 1 Ranked Super Lightweight Devon Alexander ‘The Great’
To Face Former WBC 140-Pound Champion
Junior ‘The Hitter’ Witter in Co-Feature
On Card Headlined By Bradley vs. Campbell
Saturday, Aug. 1, Live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT
From THE SHOW at Agua Caliente Resort * Casino * Spa
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (June 23, 2009)—World Boxing Council No. 1-ranked super lightweight Devon Alexander “The Great” will fight for the vacant WBC super lightweight championship against the former holder of that belt, Junior “The Hitter” Witter, in a tremendous co-feature on Saturday, Aug. 1 at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif. (SHOWTIME 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). In an interesting twist, Witter lost this title on May 10, 2008, to undefeated Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs), who will defend his World Boxing Organization 140-pound crown against former unified lightweight world champion Nate “Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KOs) in the main event on this card.In a world title unification, Bradley defeated Kendall Holt on April 4 to capture the WBO belt.Less than a month later, Bradley chose to voluntarily relinquish the WBC strap that Alexander and Witter will be vying for. “I just found out a few days ago that I’ll be in my first world championship match against Junior Witter on Aug. 1,” Alexander said.“I am so thrilled to be fighting for a world title and against Witter, a fighter I respect.He’s already had the title we’re fighting for, and I feel like it’s my turn now.I’m not stopping my undefeated run for anyone.I’ll never have a chance at the biggest fights in the world against Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao unless I win this.” The promising Alexander (18-0, 11 KOs) is the most highly touted fighter to come out of St. Louis since four-time world champion Cory Spinks.The 22-year-old Alexander is a stablemate of Spinks and has fought as a pro exclusively under the guidance of longtime Spinks’ longtime trainer Kevin Cunningham.” This is a terrific opportunity for Devon,” Cunningham said.“He’s been preparing for this moment since he was 8 years old when I heard him say he wanted to fight for the ‘green belt’ of the WBC.Now he’s the mandatory challenger.We look forward to bringing home another world championship to the American Gateway City of St. Louis.” In another sign of stability, legendary boxing promoter Don King remains as Alexander’s only promoter.He signed Alexander after Cunningham brought the boxer to his attention while the young phenomenon was still in high school. “I saw something special in Devon from the beginning,” King said.“He doesn’t drink, smoke or take drugs.He takes care of his body.His smile lights up a room.He’s also a great role model for young people.I can’t say enough good things about this talented young man. Now he has received an opportunity in the land of opportunity and he plans to make the most of it.Those in attendance at Agua Caliente and watching across America on Showtime are going to see a very special young fighter win his first world title.” Alexander has stopped 11 of his 18 opponents, including the last three in a row.The only areas he must concede to his opponent are those pertaining to age and experience. The 35-year-old Witter (37-2-2, 22 KOs), a Brit who is making his second start in the United States, has only lost twice in his long career.Besides Bradley last year, the only other person to beat Witter was then-unbeaten IBF 140-pound champion Zab “Super” Judah in 2000.
From the Frank Warren camp:
Small says Matthew Hall is a real warrior “I don’t see fear like I saw with Rhodes”
British light-middleweight title contender Anthony Small says he’s relieved to have found someone big enough to face him. Small tackles Commonwealth champion Matthew Hall on June 27 at London’s O2 Arena in what promises to be a thriller. It follows a frustrating couple of months for the Londoner, who was left fuming when Ryan Rhodes vacated his British title instead of facing him.
“I should already be British champion but for Rhodes’ cowardice,” said Small. “It’s a strong word but everything I say is the truth. I looked him in the eye and said you don’t want to fight me, you are scared of me, but he said he wanted the fight. Then next thing I know he vacates. He says he is moving on to bigger things, but a few weeks later he fights in an eight rounder. When I say he is a coward, I mean he is a coward. That’s what the sport of boxing has come down to, protecting yourself from being hurt. If you want to do that then go and play badminton. There are very few fighters out there who have go the courage and tenacity, who want to make something of themselves. In British boxing there are three types of fighter, Anthony Small, those who avoid Anthony Small, and Matthew Hall. Myself and Matthew Hall are made from the same cloth. We are going to get into that ring and lay it all on the line. He is a warrior, he’s a fighter and he is going to come into the ring on June 27th and fight with real heart. I look in his eyes and I don't see fear like I saw with Rhodes."
Small, who has lost just once in 22 fights and has 15 stoppages, believes there will only be one winner.
“This fight is going to come down to skill. Matthew has short arms and he’ll have no option but to fight on the inside and come forward. I have got long arms and long legs, and I can fight on the inside and fight on the outside, and that’s why I will win this fight.”
David Haye (left)
HAYE versus WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO - DAVID GETS HIS GOLIATH IN GELSENKIRCHEN
More verbal aggression than the one in the Bible Bounced on the floor a couple of times
David Haye will fight Wladimir Klitschko – that’s the brother with the less than invulnerable chin – for the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation world heavyweight boxing titles at the Veltins Stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on 20th June 2009. It’s quite a weekend for sport with the Finals of the cricket Twenty/20 World Cup and the European athletics championships in Portugal. The stadium is known best as being the home of Schalke 004 football team. The scene is set for a Goliath v David showdown with this David showing a lot more verbal aggression than the one in the Bible. The 33 year-old champion has won 52 points (46 by the short route) and lost only three. Since Corrie Sanders exposed the fragility of his chin six years ago, and Lamon Brewster beat him the following year, he has wended his way back to the top through the international ratings by beating Samuel Peter, in spite of being bounced on the floor a couple of times, Chris Byrd, and erstwhile conqueror Brewster. Criticism following a decisive but lacklustre points victory over Sultan Ibragimov has spurred Wladimir to end the challenges of Tony Thompson and Hasim Rahman more speedily in his last two outings. The 28 year-old challenger with 22 wins (21 inside the distance) and one loss has made spectacular progress since moving up from the cruiserweight division. His sole victory as heavyweight since then has been to stop Monte Barrett in his most recent time out in an World Boxing Council elimination bout which was supposed to have led to a match with the other brother Vitali Klitschko, but he is otherwise engaged. (It is said that he is waiting on a match with unbeaten Chris Arreola of the U.S.A.). Nevertheless his two-round demolition of Enzo Maccarinelli a year ago was worth more than many heavyweight tests. The most serious question mark over Haye’s prospects is his comparative lack of competition against world-class heavyweights.
Outpunched in his only defeat Rising heavyweights “the right side of thirty”
Klitschko will be expected to keep the action at long range with his superior reach until he can bring his heavier punching into play in the later stages. Haye must set off like a rocket to find the chin which Sanders and Peter hit to such effect. He has fought in no other way. Wladimir will prepare for that and have his own riposte ready to take advantage of any indiscretion. Haye, who was punched out by Carl Thompson in his only defeat, has not been subjected otherwise to sustained punishment. Although the dominion of the Klitschko brothers is likely to remain without serious challenge for a couple of years yet, world heavyweight boxing has turned a new page. New contenders have come forward to ease out the geriatrics who have held sway since the mid-1990s. It will not be feasible to keep lining up Ruiz, Rahman, Byrd and Valuev for an endless series of bouts. The World Boxing Association must work out whether Nikolay Valuev or Ruslan Chagaev is their official pretender to the title. Eddie Chambers, the 27 year-old American, moved into the top positions by outpointing Samuel Peter in Los Angeles. The Nigerian has so far not been able to use his punching power to true reflect or to develop the complementary boxing skills. Undefeated Alexander Povetkin, the 29 year-old Russian, who is the only opponent to have beaten Chambers, is rated a couple of places higher with Alexander Dimintrenko, an unbeaten 26 year-old Ukrainian, close behind. There are several other rising heavyweights still the “right side of thirty”.
Challenges best forgotten The easier prospect of the brothers
I can still remember hearing the morning-after radio reports of Don Cockell’s forlorn challenge to Don Cockell in 1955, while my “seniors” regaled us with their tales of having stayed up to listen to the wireless commentary as Tommy Farr took on Joe Louis in New York almost two decades earlier. The challenges of Henry Cooper and Brian London came and went – and those of Joe Bugner and Richard Dunn are best forgotten. Then Lennox Lewis, and to some extent Frank Bruno, got us used to seeing the best of British take on and beat the best of the rest of the world. Wladimir may be considered to be the easier prospect of the brothers, and David, like his biblical name-sake, will aim to strike at his opponent’s most vulnerable spot before his Goliath gets into the contest. Even so few Britons have come back from Germany with honour. So much so that Henry Cooper refused to fight there ago after a perceived bad decision (or two). David Haye can win – he has a better than a puncher’s chance. Can he win ? Probably more depends on the adversary than on himself. Klitschko cannot leave himself open to attack, or play for the bore draw he achieved against Ibragimov. Somehow I just cannot see him giving the Londoner that satisfaction.
