Solid pair of double headers Sept. 8
Boxing may be down, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good fights to watch.
September 8 should be a fun day in the sport. Devon Alexander (23-1) will square off against IBF welterweight Randall Bailey (43-7) in a 12-round bout at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.
For those who have forgotten, Alexander (pictured) came up short in his big showdown with Tim Bradley January 29, 2011. So what has he done since that loss? He’s only beaten Lucas Matthysse and Marcos Maidana. He also has wins over Andriy Kotelnyk and Juan Urango.
Taking on a well-traveled, successful fighter like Bailey is just what Alexander needs to move up the welterweight ladder. Who knows? A possible rematch with Bradley could be in the cards for 2013.
Matthysse (31-2) will also be on the card, taking on a dangerous Ajose Olusegun (30-0) for the WBC 140-pound title.
Both bouts will be aired live on SHOWTIME.
Another solid September 8 card at the Prudential Center in Newark features two good heavyweight bouts. Former two-time cruiserweight champ Steve Cunningham (24-4) will make his heavyweight debut against Jason Gavern, while America’s top heavyweight prospect Bryant Jennings (14-0) will take on Chris Koval in an eight-round bout.
Why is this important? America hasn’t seen a legitimate homegrown heavyweight contender in a long time. Philadelphia’s Jennings is starting to build up steam and could be the next great American heavyweight.
