By Allan Fox: IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander chose to take a big shot at Lucas Matthysse’s positive attention last Saturday night at the post-fight press conference following Alexander’s 7th round stoppage win over Lee Purdy at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Instead of letting Matthysse enjoy his 3rd round TKO triumph over Lamont Peterson in the main event, Alexander claimed that he was fighting at only 60 percent when he beat Matthysse by a highly controversial 10 round split decision in June 2011.
Alexander said “When I beat Matthysse I was 50, perhaps 60 percent. My legs weren’t there; I was worn out, drained. I didn’t have any energy and I had to tough the win out. Just imagine if I was at 100 percent.”
The fight took place in Saint Charles, Missouri, and Alexander was given the win by the scores 96-93 and 95-94, while the third judge had it 96-93.
This fight is a classic example of a home fighter when a decision that the boxing community as a whole disagreed with in mass. Two judges gave Alexander a win on paper, but the victory to this day has been a hollow won for Alexander because it’s not acknowledged as a legit win by hardcore boxing fans who saw the fight.
Both Matthysse and Alexander have improved since then, but in the case of Matthysse, he’s improved dramatically in the power department. You can’t say the same for Alexander. He looks a little stronger, but not a whole lot. He hasn’t improved enough to where he would be able to beat Matthysse in a convincing manner now if the fight where to happen in the future.
Right now, Matthysse would likely stop Alexander or get him to quit like he did in his fight with Tim Bradley. Matthysse is so much stronger now, and he goes out looking for knockouts because he doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of anymore controversial decisions like he was in his losses to Alexander and Zab Judah.
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