Devon Alexander blasts out Juan Urango in eight
by Scott Christ on Mar 6, 2010 10:44 PM EST
in Boxing Results and Post-Fight Analysis
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Devon Alexander has unified titles, at least for now. The WBC junior welterweight titlist stopped IBF titleholder Juan Urango in the eighth round tonight on HBO Boxing After Dark.
Alexander (20-0, 13 KO) knocked down Urango (22-3-1, 17 KO) on a humongous right hand uppercut early in the round, then finished him off moments later. Referee Benjy Esteves waved the fight off despite minor protests from Urango, but the Colombian was finished. His legs were totally gone, his face showed serious shock, and Alexander knew he was hurt. Alexander was accurate enough all night that there was almost no way Urango was coming back into that fight, so the stoppage was a good one for sure.
It was a very impressive performance overall from Alexander, especially when you consider that nobody was picking him to stop the durable Urango. Most picked Devon to win, but by decision, and wide. He showed what we expected, that he could easily outbox the plodding Urango and pick him off without much trouble. Urango did show some fire here and there, but Alexander was just too fast, too skilled, and too dynamic.
Urango, 28, is going to have a tough time climbing back into things. He's dangerous enough to knock out just about anybody, but he's also just not very good. He is a one-speed fighter with a really good right hook, but would you favor him against Lamont Peterson? I think it's also actually worth questioning the durability he's been known for. No, Ricky Hatton didn't break him down at all, but he did hit him a lot. Urango was decked by Randall Bailey, but Bailey is a nasty puncher. Tonight, Alexander eventually blew him up. And yes, it was a great punch, but could the years be piling up on him?
With the way the division is shaping up, Urango could find it tough to find another good fight by the end of this year. He might have to just take a stay-busy bout and get back in there when the chance comes. He's borderline top 10 at this point, as he's badly lost to the three best fighters he's faced and his best win is either Herman Ngoudjo or Bailey. A move up to welterweight seems possible, but I think he'd struggle with the same issues up there, as he showed against Berto.
But the focus now should be Devon Alexander, who has the sort of ability to become a really special fighter, and tonight, he showed it.
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Just got back from the fight
That KO came out of nowhere. Alexander had his moments in the early rounds, but seemed to have no answer for Urango’s power as he came forward. Alexander was the busier guy, sticking, moving, jabbing and landing some shots. But it was Urango who was landing the power shots and continually came forward. Alexander was the smaller fighter in there and seemed flummoxed by Urango’s power. Urango was landing at will till the stoppage.
Nice fight and awesome atmosphere.
On a side note, Chad Dawson received the best reception from the fighters in attendance. He’s definitely a big name around the area and if promoted right, could become a huge regional draw. Tarver vs Dawson would have done much better around the northeast.
He’s definitely a big name around the area and if promoted right, could become a huge regional draw.
His last fight was in Hartford and the crowd turned on him, plus the gate was awful. I don’t think Dawson has major league drawing potential unless he starts boxing dumber.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
also
Was it as empty as it appeared on TV? It looked pretty light crowd-wise, but the reaction to that first big knockdown was great.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Was pretty empty
I heard a lot of comps were given out and one section was almost empty. I guess a lot of people didn’t recognize the names and there were few local fighters. Being an HBO card, tickets were also more expensive. For the Manfredo fight, it was kicking and close to capacity.
I remember Dawson’s Hartford fight, but it wasn’t a total disaster. Perhaps it grew his legend? The local connection is something very exploitable IMO.
It should be. They’ve tried to build him an audience up there. He’s got a deadly combination: He’s really good, really smart, and comes off as really nice. That’s tough to sell sometimes. But getting him the right opponents would help, too. Glen Johnson’s never been a draw either, and like you said, the Tarver-Dawson fights should have been on the east coast. Putting the rematch in particular back in Vegas was a real puzzler.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
maybe
Hopkins doesn’t draw live either. And they’d put that fight in Vegas probably.
Actually fighting Pascal in Montreal is the biggest crowd Dawson’s gonna see. (Well, unless Bute came up in weight.)
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Shumenov in Kazakhstan?
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Very impressive from Alexander.
Boxed effectively without having to resort to excessive clinching on the inside, as past Urango opponents have had to (Berto, looking at you.)
What can you say? The kid answered a lot of questions. Hope his King affiliation doesn’t have him sitting for months and months. Seemed to sustain little damage in the fight.
Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion
by The Kittitas Kid on Mar 7, 2010 2:12 AM EST reply actions
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