By Ryan Burton
A recent media conference call, put together by Don King Productions and Warriors Boxing to promote the March 6 junior welterweight clash between Juan Urango and Devon Alexander, started out in typical fashion. Don King publicist Alan Hopper took the lead and broke down the fight for all the writers on the call. Following that, Don King did what he does best - and hype the fight in his usual over the top style. Head man of Warriors Boxing, Leon Margules, was very cordial in speaking about Alexander and his fighter Urango. Trainers Kevin Cunningham and Pete Fernandez may have stolen the show, but initially they exchanged pleasantries in the opening segment of the conference call.
Media members then were allowed to ask questions to any of the participants of the fight. I asked Kevin Cunningham if he felt that Devon Alexander's power was being overlooked since everyone was talking about the strenght of Urango. He said that he absolutely felt people were overlooking Devon and that Devon isn't a feather-fisted fighter. He said Devon's power will be on display on March 6th. I then asked what the buzz was like in St. Louis, Alexander's hometown for this fight and Cunningham said - the city was buzzing. Devon had already been presented with a key to the city by the mayor after winning the WBC junior welterweight belt when he scored a TKO victory over Junior Witter last August.
The conference call took an interesting twist when Kevin Cunningham started asking Team Urango questions. Urango had said that he didn't count the Berto loss because to him it was a "sparring session" and that his belt wasn't at stake.
Cunningham asked, "You don't take the welterweight championship title seriously?"
Urango trainer Pete Fernandez said that the conference call was for the fighters and not the trainers.
"This is a conference call. I guess you haven't been on one of these before have you." was Cunningham's reply.
Things escalated to the point everyone was talking at the same time and you couldn't hear any one person. DKP publicist Alan Hopper restored order and suggested that maybe Cunningham and Fernandez should strap on some gloves and enter the ring themselves. Don King then interjected that he could make that happen. Cunninhgam continued to launch verbal jabs to Urango and Fernandez.
This fight should be action packed. Kevin Cunningham was instrumental in getting Nelly to accompany Cory Spinks into the ring in some of his championship fights in years past. They have a special performer lined up for this fight as well but they are keeping the mystery perfomer under wraps. The only hint revealed was, "Devon is an up and comer sure to be a star in the boxing world and we will have an up and comer sure to be a star in the music world walk in the ring with him."
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