By Terence Dooley
Colchester’s Lee Purdy, 20-3-1 (13), will not be able to win the IBF welterweight title even if produces a huge upset win over Devon Alexander, 24-1 (13), tonight due to his failure to make weight, but his promoter Eddie Hearn believes his 25-year-old charge is ready to shock the boxing world and won’t allow the occasion to get to him. Purdy meets Missouri-based IBF titlist at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall yet he will not get to contest the world title after missing the stipulated weight limit for the second fight in a row.
Purdy missed the weight by a single lb — he also failed to make the division limit against Cosme Rivera in March, he won the fight by ninth-round TKO — and was unable to get down to the 147lb limit at the second attempt yesterday, prompting Hearn to reveal that the final half lb had proved impossible to shift. Disappointingly, it means that Purdy cannot win the IBF title, but he will still give his all to try to hand his highly rated opponent a second professional defeat, according to his promoter.
