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Devon Alexander: I would beat Marcos Maidana worse in a rematch

Fighters Network
20
Jun

Devon Alexander insists that he would beat Marcos Maidana just as easily as he already has if they were to fight again, despite of Maidana's solid performance agaisnt RING No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The 27-year-old Alexander (25-2, 14 knockouts) made his comments after weighing in at 148 and a quarter pounds at Friday's weigh-in for Saturday's bout against Jesus Soto Karass (28-9-3, 18 KOs), who came in at an even 148 in advance of their fight at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Alexander and Soto Karass share a common opponent in Maidana, whom Alexander dominated for a unanimous decision in his 147-pound debut in Februaty 2012, and against whom Soto Karass was stopped in Round 8 in September 2012.

"It would be the same result," Alexander, who handled Maidana by scores of 99-91 and 100-90 (twice), told Showtime's Brian Custer. "It would be the same result, and it would be even worse the second time, because I already beat him. Since I know how to beat him, it would be even worse the next time."



Maidana's past five fights since facing Alexander have included three straight knockouts, one of which was over Soto Karass, with another being a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Adrien Broner during which Maidana scored two knockdowns on the way to earning the WBA's belt in December before falling to Mayweather.

"It depends on who you talk to about his improvement, but I didn't see any improvement," said Alexander. "It's just that Floyd didn't do what he was supposed to do. But if we fought again, it would be the same."

Alexander has faced seven current or past world titleholders in his last nine fights, a run that includes decision victories over Maidana and Lucas Matthysse, two of Argentina's most devastating punchers.

Alexander's only losses are to THE RING's number five pound-for-pound fighter Timothy Bradley and THE RING's number four-rated welterweight, IBF titleholder Shawn Porter, who remained undefeated with a fourth-round stoppage of two-division beltwinner Paulie Malignaggi in April.

Alexander had scored a seventh-round stoppage of Lee Purdy in May of 2013 before falling to Porter, the Purdy win representing his fourth straight victory since falling to Bradley by 10th-round technical decision in January 2011.

Alexander dethroned hard-hitting Randall Bailey for the IBF belt in October 2012 before facing Purdy, has stopped former titleholders Juan Urango and Junior Witter and has decisioned former titleholders DeMarcus Corley and Andriy Kotelnik.

Entering his match with Maidana in February 2012, there were some observers who felt Alexander had lost his previous three bouts against Kotelnik, Bradley and Matthysse.

"I want to go out there and beat this guy, and I want to look good doing it. Skills pay the bills," said Alexander. "But if I see the knockout, and I smell blood, then I'm going to go for it. That's the name of the game. So I'm going to be smart first, and if I see the knockout, then I'm going for it."

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