On August 7th, St. Louisan Devon Alexander “The Great” will make his HBO Boxing After-Dark debut in front of his hometown fans as Don King Productions once again brings one of the most anticipated fights of the year to St. Louis. Alexander will defend his championship belts against Andriy Kotelnik of the Ukraine.
It will mark the first time Don King Productions and HBO Sports will produce a card here in St. Louis. The boxing world is starting to turn its attention nationally for the card at the Scottrade Center.
Also on the card will be another championship fight when light-heavyweight champ Tavoris Cloud will take on mandatory challenger and former champion Glen Johnson. The 41-year old Johnson beat tough Yusaf Mack back in February to get a shot at Cloud.
As for ‘TEAM ALEXANDER’, everything’s on course for the big showdown with the tough Ukraine fighter in Kotelnik. If you think this will be a boring non eventful fight for Alexander, don’t tell that mess to the champion Devon Alexander ‘The Great”.
“Everything is on point as far as our camp and where we need to be to keep the belts in St. Louis,” Alexander said in an interview earlier this week.
“This guy (Kotelnik) is no joke; we can’t afford to be messing around with this guy. I’m working hard everyday sticking to the program my trainer (Kevin Cunningham) has planned for me each day,” said Alexander. “We have been in camp for eight weeks now, and I can’t wait to get home on August 7th and show St. Louis and the world that hard work, not taking any short cuts, taking care of the business both in and out of the ring will help in hopefully becoming the best pound-for pound fighter in the world one day.”
Kotelnik (31-3-1) is a solid fighter who lost his title to one of the most feared fighters in boxing in Amir Khan back in July. Kahn, who boxing insiders say wants know part of Alexander right now, is scheduled to fight later in the fall of this year. Lurking right behind Khan is the hard punching Marcos Maidana (28-1) who’s also running from Alexander, signing with Golden Boy recently to hopefully getting back in the ring soon.
Maidan is ranked by many in the Top 5 in the Jr. Welterweight Division with an impressive 28 – 1 record. And guess who’s that one lost is from? None other than Andreas Kotelnik.
“This guy is no joke” said trainer Kevin Cunningham. “We have a lot if respect for Kotelnik, but Devon is looking good right now in camp and we plan on coming home on August 7th and giving St. Louis and all of Devon’s fans every dime of the money the fans of St. Louis will spend see the champ perform in his hometown.
“In addition, boxing fans around the world can get an opportunity to see what a great fight town and fight heritage we have here in St. Louis,’ We want St. Louis to show the boxing world what hard work and dedication can do.”
As for Cunningham, with the success he has had with first Cory Spinks and now Devon Alexander, he has trained two champions and put them on the national stage.
With Alexander on the verge of superstar status in the boxing world, he is close to becoming one of the household names in the boxing world if he knocks out Kotelnik on the first Saturday in August.
It’s business as usual for Cunningham and team Alexander, in my opinion is slowly working his way up the latter as one of boxing best trainers.
Great trainers like Emanuel Stewart, Freddie Roach, and Angelo Dundee is what Cunningham reminds me of as a no non-sense trainer who is great in evaluating talent.
Cunningham has worked with Devon since he was seven years old, and everything Devon knows about boxing, he credits Kevin. And say what you want, Kevin Cunningham doesn’t take already made champions, he produces them.
Boxing, like other things in society is a gutter business that only the cruel sharks can survive. Most who survive the boxing game don’t get too high, or too low in the quest for the big prize and big paydays. And it takes countless hours of dedication to the game and the sport of boxing itself to survive in the business.
“I love what I do,” Cunningham said. “And to see a young man who I mentored and taught boxing since he was seven years old and at the age of 23 has become a world champion coming back home in front of family and friends is nothing but a blessing.”
I can’t wait to see Emanuel Stewart, Jim Lampley, Roy Jones Jr., Larry Merchant, Lennox Lewis, and the best promoter of ALL-TIME Don King and HBO bring Team Alexander to the LOU August 7th, at the Scottrade Center.
Next Week, on Countdown to the Great Showdown, we will continue our weekly updates in the TEAM ALEXANDER CAMP from Las Vegas. In addition, we’ll take an inside look at the challenger Andreas Kotelnik and one of the premiere trainers who is getting him ready for the showdown Stacey McKinney who was once the trainer for Iron Mike Tyson and numerous other big name fighters.
It’s right here, exclusively in the St. Louis American.
