By Dan Ambrose: Former IBF/WBC light welterweight champion Devon Alexander (21-1, 13 KO’s) will be looking to impress the doubters on Saturday night against Argentinian Lucas Matthysse (28-1, 26 KO’s) at the Family Arena in Saint Charles, Missouri. Alexander was beaten in his last fight against WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley and a lot of boxing fans feel that Alexander quit in that fight.

In an article at Sky Sports News, Alexander said “I want to show people why I was considered one of the best at 140 lbs. I want those people who believed in me to know they were not wrong. I am one of the most capable and dangerous fighters in the division.”

Alexander wants to prove he’s not a quitter, but he’s got an even tougher opponent in some ways than Bradley. Alexander knows now he has to fight through pain, and that he can’t just stop fighting because of a head butt. He’s got to take the pain and continue fighting until the end. Ideally, Alexander will be able to make quick work of Matthysse the same way that Alexander defeated the equally slow and hard hitting Columbian Juan Urango last year in March.

That’s the best scenario for Alexander. However, Matthysse has an excellent chin and he may not be willing to go down easy. In that case, Alexander is going to have to be able to take some hard body shots because Matthysse has been working over the body of his recent opponents and showing excellent body punching.

Matthysse had the advantage of sparring with former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez during this camp. That sparring could prove valuable for Matthysse because if he can take Martinez’s hard shots and still hand, then he will likely have no problems facing the weaker Alexander and taking his best shots. This fight could then come down to whoever lands the cleaner shots. That might be Matthysse because he does hit harder than Alexander. However, the fight is taking place in Alexander’s home state and we could see Alexander win a decision if the fight is even remotely close. Matthysse has got to really take the fight to Alexander to make sure he’s not on the losing end of a questionable decision.