Groomed by Don King as his sport's next big thing, Devon Alexander was growing used to life as a top-of-the-bill fighter, with those pay-per-view millions surely just a matter of time for the young St Louis star.
An outstanding amateur, Alexander - inevitably dubbed 'The Great' - blazed through his first 21 professional contests, winning his first world title when he took the vacant WBC light-welterweight crown against Junior Witter in 2009.
A slick and apparently hard-punching fighter, for a time it seemed Alexander could do no wrong.
He added the IBF belt against Juan Urango, and after defending his titles against tough Andrei Kotelnik, the time had come for his biggest test.
A bout against fellow unbeaten 140lbs champion Timothy Bradley was one Alexander had always craved, with its promise of a breakthrough into that permanent pay-per-view market for the winner.
It didn't turn out as Alexander had hoped. In a sparsely populated, cavernous Pontiac Silverdome, Alexander and Bradley fought a dull fight which was settled via technical decision in favour of Bradley when Alexander sustained a cut eye from an accidental headbutt.
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An outstanding amateur, Alexander - inevitably dubbed 'The Great' - blazed through his first 21 professional contests, winning his first world title when he took the vacant WBC light-welterweight crown against Junior Witter in 2009.
A slick and apparently hard-punching fighter, for a time it seemed Alexander could do no wrong.
He added the IBF belt against Juan Urango, and after defending his titles against tough Andrei Kotelnik, the time had come for his biggest test.
A bout against fellow unbeaten 140lbs champion Timothy Bradley was one Alexander had always craved, with its promise of a breakthrough into that permanent pay-per-view market for the winner.
It didn't turn out as Alexander had hoped. In a sparsely populated, cavernous Pontiac Silverdome, Alexander and Bradley fought a dull fight which was settled via technical decision in favour of Bradley when Alexander sustained a cut eye from an accidental headbutt.
[Click Here To Read More]
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