By Jim Dower: IBF/WBC light welterweight champion Devon Alexander is in a position where he not only has to win on Saturday night against former WBA light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik in their title fight at the Scottrade Center, in Saint Louis, Missouri, but Alexander must look impressive in winning the fight.
Alexander, 23, is looking to become one of the huge stars in boxing and for him, he needs to be able to get by opponents like Kotelnik effortlessly if he wants to start building a huge fan base which is needed to become a future pay per view star.
Kotelnik was already dominated by Amir Khan last year in a one-sided 12 round decision. Khan is also another light welterweight champion who is trying to quickly become a mega star in the class of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
Alexander is considered as one of the best fighters in the light welterweight division and many boxing fans see him as the number #1 fighter in the division. Alexander will soon get to prove whether he is or he isn’t, as he’s likely to be facing WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley in January 2011 on HBO.
That fight will answer a lot of questions about how good Alexander and Bradley are. The winner of that fight will be looking to get a fight against Khan, if possible. However, Alexander first has to get past Kotelnik this Saturday before he’s going to be put in a fight with Bradley.
Kotelnik doesn’t have much power, but he does have superb boxing skills and is a former Olympian for Ukraine. What he lacks in power, he more than makes up for it with his other boxing skills. He’s not going to be trying to duke it out with Alexander in the trenches. He’s likely going to keep the fight on the outside where he can use his jab and stay away from Alexander’s devastating uppercuts.
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