While the boxing world wonders what Corey Spinks can do to resurrect his career, young Devon Alexander is capturing Don King and fight-followers’ close attention.
In a dominating performance last week at the Sears Centre in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, Ill., Alexander “The Great” scored a first-round technical knockout against an overmatched Cory Peterson of Bay City, Mich.
A flurry of punches had Peterson reeling by the middle of the first round, and he soon was on the canvas.
After a standing-eight count and a questionable referee’s decision to continue the bout, Alexander immediately floored Peterson again.
This time the fight ended, and Alexander moved to 13-0 with eight knockouts. Peterson is now 7-1.
Trainer Kevin Cunningham is seeing Alexander’s stock continue to rise, even as Spinks has fallen since his loss to Jermaine Taylor in Memphis last May.
“I was pacing myself, working on sitting down on my punches to get more power,” Alexander said following the dominating victory.
“Coach Cunningham wants more knockouts and I got him one in the first round tonight. Now I want to fight DeMarcus Corley.”
Known as “Chop Chop,” Corley hails from Washington, D.C., and finds himself in about the same boat as Spinks.
The week before Spinks’ lost in Memphis, Corley took on lightly regarded Jose Alfaro in the challenger’s hometown of Managua, Nicaragua.
After Corley scored a first-round knockdown, Alfaro seized control of the fight.
After knocking Corley down in the sixth round, Alfaro sent him to the canvas again in the eighth, and the fight was stopped.
The loss dropped Corley’s record to 31-6-1 with 17 knockouts.
Alexander, who broke his hand during a bout in St. Louis more than a year ago, has obviously recovered and is adding knockout power to his repertoire.
He should easily dismiss Corley, and then a true champion could await him in just his 15th fight.
Pic of kazia from media guide
We’ll miss you, Kazia
Kazia Steele, former St. Louis Cardinals media relations assistant, sent these kind words to members of the media last week after the Cardinals announced the franchise could no longer afford her – the SportsEye kids you not, as reported by Alvin A. Reid in his column today.
“First I would like to say THANK YOU for all of your support! I enjoyed greeting you all at every St. Louis Cardinals home game. I would also like to thank you all for the patience that you all had with the credentialing process here at the ballpark,” Kazia wrote.
“I tried to make it as smooth as possible. Today is my last day with the St. Louis Cardinals organization and I have enjoyed every minute of it! I will miss smiling back at everyone through the glass window and joking with all of you.”
Hopefully, another St. Louis sports franchise or organization – or any business that appreciates hard work and a pleasant demeanor – will quickly add her to their roster.
Nice by Northwest
Isaac Bruce and Home Depot have helped refurbish the football field at Northwest High School in St. Louis.
Along with PHL Inc., Northwest High School, organizers from the non-profit organization KaBOOM and members of the local community, the field looks as though it were new.
The football field renovation project will impact the more than 350 students at Northwest High School and children of the Walnut Park Neighborhood. The field will provide more opportunities for children to play in organized leagues, providing them with “positive opportunities to build character, and will “give them a sense of pride in their school, community and in themselves,” according to Bruce.