Before his August 7 title fight in St. Louis, boxing champ Devon Alexander “The Great” will be honored at a special celebration at City Hall. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Chuck Berry and boxing promoter Don King will all be at City Hall on Sunday, August 1 to help celebrate Alexander’s achievements. The event is open to the public and scheduled for 7-9:30 p.m.
The celebration will include congratulatory presentations from U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley, Congressman Russ Carnahan and more. Also the event will feature performances by Bradd Young, Dwayne Bosman of the Bosman Twins, Yung Ro and Wild Bill Young.
Lewis Reed, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, will host the City Hall event along with Cedric The Entertainer and Eric Rhone.
“[Devon Alexander is] a treasure for the city of St. Louis in that he is the Albert Pujols of the fight world,” Reed said. “But he never will be traded and will always be from St. Louis. He also inspires kids to do the right thing.”
The celebration event for Alexander will also serve as a fundraiser to promote amateur boxing in St. Louis for city children. This kind of charitable behavior outside the ring is another attribute that Lewis Reed cheers.
“We decided to thank him for being such a great role model,” Reed said.
“Just to see how Devon interacts at different events and community gatherings is great. He brings his belts and he talks with [the kids]. Then they have an opportunity to spend quality time with him in the gym. It gives young kids around the city of St. Louis an opportunity to see what a phenomenal athlete he is inside, but also outside, the ring.”
Alexander is the undefeated junior welterweight champion of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the World Boxing Council (WBC). On August 7 he will face Ukrainian boxer Andriy Kotelnik here in his hometown at the Scottrade Center, along with two other championship fights.
Don King Productions has held several cards in St. Louis including the 2005 championship match between Cory Spinks, a mentor for Alexander, and Zab Judah, which was the largest boxing event in the state of Missouri.
“This card may be top to bottom the best card that Don King has ever promoted with four bouts, three of which are championship bouts,” Alan Hopper, director of Public Relations for Don King Productions, said.
Other championship fights on the August 7 “Gateway to Greatness” card are Tavoris Cloud vs. Glen Johnson and Cory Spinks vs. Cornelius Bundrage.
Alexander grew up in St. Louis and began his boxing career at the age of seven being trained by Kevin Cunningham in North St. Louis. Cunningham was also for a time Cory Spinks’ trainer. More than eight years later, Cunningham is still training Alexander and has helped him to a 20-0-0 undefeated record with 13 knockouts.
While Alexander has fought in St. Louis before, this time is particularly relevant.
“It’s traditional in boxing for fighters to fight in their hometowns, which Devon has done quite a lot in his career,” Hopper said.
“However, he won his first his world championship away from home. After that, he wasted no time and on March 6 he fought and won another championship. St. Louis has never seen Devon box as a world champion.”
