By Keith Idec

For the first time since 2004, Vaughn Alexander was able to spend at least part of Thanksgiving Day with his family Thursday.

He was more than thankful, though, to have to travel later in the day from Missouri to Connecticut. Spending 10½ years in prison makes a man appreciative of such opportunities.

Alexander expressed exactly that sentiment once he arrived at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, early Thursday evening.

Devon Alexander’s older brother told his new promoter, Main Events’ chief executive officer Kathy Duva, and his new matchmaker, Jolene Mizzone, upon meeting them in person for the first time that he feels forever indebted to them for giving him a second shot at a boxing career. The 30-year-old middleweight also promised them he won’t let them down.

“Man, I’m ecstatic to be back after 11 years gone,” Alexander told BoxingScene.com. “I worked long and hard to get here. Even with me being in prison, I worked long and hard for all of those years because I knew that if I worked hard and I kept my mind focused I’d be back here. But I’m ecstatic. I’m so happy. I’m grateful that Main Events is giving me a chance to show what I’ve got, to show that I’ve still got it.”

The former welterweight prospect shouldn’t have much difficulty dispatching Antonio Chaves Fernandez (7-28-4, 2 KOs, 1 NC), of Brockton, Massachusetts, in Alexander’s non-televised, six-round fight Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Certainly not as much trouble as Alexander (6-0, 5 KOs) encountered while trying to restart his boxing career once he was released from a Missouri maximum-security prison March 7. He hadn’t fought since winning a unanimous decision over Michael Melvin in a four-rounder in October 2004, essentially a lifetime ago if you consider how most promoters and managers.

“It was very humbling,” Alexander said, “because I really thought I was gonna get out and I was gonna get back to where I was at, and it was nothing like that. It was absolutely nothing like that. Times have changed in 11 years. Technology, everything, but especially with this boxing game. I had to see first-hand that it’s a whole different ball game from when I was with Don King at that time. It’s a whole different ball game now.

“But I’m excited they’re giving me a chance to do my thing again. I’m very appreciative of them, the whole Main Events staff. Because I know taking a chance on someone that once was a prospect, but hasn’t been seen in 11 years, it’s kind of a thing that makes you hesitate. And I absolutely understand that. So for them to take a chance on me – first of all, they definitely won’t regret it. That’s a promise. They definitely won’t regret it. But I’m humbled by them taking a chance on me, and they still haven’t seen what I can do [in a live fight]. It’s amazing in itself that they’re taking a chance on me to deliver, and for me to do what I say I’m gonna do.”

Main Events agreed to sign Alexander after he floored Kevin Brown (0-4), of Florissant, Missouri, four times on his way to scoring a second-round knockout October 22 on a club card in his native St. Louis. Officially ending his 12-year layoff in such emphatic fashion allowed Alexander to “get that feeling back,” yet he fully understands he is attempting a highly unusual comeback, even for this ever-forgiving sport.

Alexander will turn 31 on December 10, still has just six professional fights on his record and only one of those opponents entered a fight against Alexander with a winning record.

“I’m really anxious to get to know him,” Duva said. “He really seems like a blue-chip prospect and somebody who’s going to be extra motivated to be successful, given the circumstances of his life up until now. That, and the potential that he has, it’s just the kind of project that we love here. We’re very well suited for each other, I think.

“This is a person who has extraordinary ability and didn’t have the chance to capitalize on it because of the mistakes he made. But we’re all about second chances here.”

Despite a blossoming boxing career, Alexander committed an armed robbery for which he was sentenced to six years in state prison in June 2005. That sentence was extended 12 years when Alexander oddly attacked a sheriff’s officer Alexander had asked to take him to a restroom after his sentencing in downtown St. Louis.

By the time he turned 25, Alexander began realizing he still could pursue his boxing dream if he focused on maturing and shortening his sentence by behaving sensibly. Now that he has been afforded that coveted second shot, Alexander doesn’t intend to blow it.

“I’m actually trying to be that example I was before prison,” Alexander said. “Even though my brother has been a two-time world champion, I’m helping him get back to where he was. He’s back in the gym. He’s inspired again, since I’ve been out.

“But we don’t train at the same gym. He's got his own situation going on [in St. Charles, Missouri], and I’ve got mine [in Clayton, Missouri]. But we’ve got the same goal, and that’s to be back on top. I’ve gotta get to where he accomplished. But we’ve got the same goals, to take our name to the next level, to bigger heights.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.