[NEWS] Alexander aiming for Ortiz-Berto winner

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7635097/devon-alexander-aims-victor-ortiz-andre-berto-winner Former junior welterweight titleholder Devon Alexander certainly didn't need any hometown decision in St. Louis given the way he dominated Marcos Maidana in a near shutout last Saturday. But he did need stitches to fix the cut Maidana opened over his right eye in the third round. Alexander, who moved up to welterweight for the fight (as did Maidana) needed five stitches to close the cut, trainer and manager Kevin Cunningham told ESPN.com. "Nothing serious," Cunningham said. "We will be ready to fight in July or August. The problem is, no one is available." Ideally, Cunningham said, Alexander (23-1, 13 KOs) will get the opportunity to fight the winner of the June 23 rematch between former welterweight titleholders Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto -- but the winner won't be ready until the fall. "Devon has earned the right to face the Ortiz-Berto winner," Cunningham said. "The winner of that fight is not getting Mayweather or Pacquiao, so why not?" Cunningham also said Alexander would be interested in facing junior welterweight titlist Erik Morales if Morales defeats Danny Garcia on March 24, because Morales would be available in the summer. "If Morales wins, I'd like to fight him at a catchweight of 145 in July," Cunningham said. Cunningham also said he would be willing to match Alexander with former titleholders Jan Zaveck or Carlos Quintana. As for Maidana (31-3, 28 KOs), the loss to Alexander will send him back to junior welterweight, where he still holds a world title. "We think, for now, Marcos has to go back to defend the title next," Maidana advisor Sebastian Contursi said. Expect some changes to Maidana's team as well. "Besides the boxing aspect, in which Devon was obviously far superior, we were so disappointed by the way Marcos' body responded," Contursi said. "He trained almost 90 days, but training didn't work, which tells me that we have to change a few things -- methods and probably some people. Maidana's style is too physical, so if he is not at his best condition, his chances against slick and fast boxers decrease." Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who promotes both Alexander and Maidana, said he would like to match Maidana later this year with the winner of Humberto Soto-Lucas Matthysse, the co-featured fight on the Ortiz-Berto II card. Soto is a former lightweight titlist, and Matthssye is a slugger from Argentina in the Maidana mold.