By Dan Ambrose: IBF welterweight champion Randall Bailey (43-7, 37 KO’s) is making his first and possibly his only title defense of his International Boxing Federation title on September 8th against Devon Alexander (23-1, 13 KO’s) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, The Joint, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bailey recently picked up the vacant IBF 147 pound title with an 11th round TKO win over Mike Jones last June. It was a good win for Bailey because he was trailing in the fight at the time of the stoppage.
Alexander, 25, will be playing it safe like he did in his last fight against Marcos Maidana last February by clinching nonstop. With the right referee working the fight that allows for Alexander to do this, he could very well beat Bailey unless he’s able to punch with incredible power while he’s being held. Bailey is easily the best puncher in the welterweight division when he’s loading up on single shots.
However, what’s not known is whether Bailey has big power when being held tightly in smothering clinch. If he can’t punch with the same kind of stunning power, then Alexander will probably win this fight because he’s got the better boxing skills and hand speed, and he’ll be clinching all night long in this fight.
Referees are supposed warn against this thing kind of thing, but the referee that worked the Alexander-Maidana fight, Steve Smoger, never stepped in to stop the clinching from Alexander. It’s too bad because it made the fight unwatchable. It hurts the sport when you’ve got a fighter that is clinching excessively and the referee is allowing to happen. With the competition from MMA and other sports competing with boxing, you’d think that referees would have greatly limited things like clinching in order to make boxing more interesting to watch.
If Bailey can find good power when being held by Alexander, he’ll win no problems. If not, then Alexander will clinch his way to a victory.
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