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Devon Alexander vs. Juan Urango: Head to head

Fighters Network
02
Mar

DEVON ALEXANDER vs. JUAN URANGO

When: Saturday, March 6

Where: Uncasville, Conn.

TV: Showtime, 9:30 pm. ET/ PT



Weight: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)

Title(s) at stake: Unification

Also on the card: Derric Rossy vs. Zack Page, rematch, 12 rounds, heavyweights; Steve Forbes vs. Harrison Cuello, 10 rounds, junior welterweights.

ALEXANDER

The essentials

Age: 23

Height / Reach: 5-7 (170cm) / 71 (180cm)

Stance: Southpaw

Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

Nickname: Alexander the Great

Turned pro: 2004

Record: 19-0 (12 knockouts)

Trainer: Kevin Cunningham

Fight-by-fight: http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=122183&cat=boxer

The Ring rating: No. 4 junior welterweight

Titles: junior welterweight (2009-present)

Biggest victories: DeMarcus Corley, Jan. 19, 2008, UD 12; Junior Witter, Aug. 1, 2009, TKO 8 (won title).

Loss es: None

URANGO

The essentials

Age: 29

Height / weight: 5-7 (170cm) / 71 (180cm)

Stance: Southpaw

Hometown: Cooper City, Fla. (from Monteria, Colombia)

Nickname: Iron Twin

Turned pro: 2002

Record: 22-2-1 (17 knockouts)

Trainers: Pete Fernandez

Fight-by-fight: Fight-by-fight: http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=122183&cat=boxer

The Ring rating: No. 6 junior welterweight

Titles: junior welterweight (2006-07); junior welterweight (2009-present).

Biggest victories: Naoufel Ben Rabah, June 30, 2006, UD 12 (won junior welterweight title); Carlos Wilfredo Vilches, April 23, 2008, KO 4 (title eliminator); Herman Ngoudjo, Jan. 30, 2009 (won junior welterweight title); Randall Bailey, Aug. 28, 2009, TKO 11 (first title defense).

Losses and draw: Ricky Hatton, Jan. 20, 2007, UD 12 (lost junior welterweight title); Andre Berto, May 30, 2009, UD 12 (for welterweight title); Mike Arnoutis, Aug. 5, 2004, MD.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Skills: Alexander is a former amateur star who won multiple national titles as a teenager on his way to compiling a reported 300-10 record and the St. Louis native boxes like someone with an extensive foundation. He is a complete boxer who is technically sound all around. Urango, who didn’t have much of an amateur career in his native Colombia, has relied on his physical strength and punching power to overwhelm his opponents until very recently. Urango has added some technique to his pressure fighting game, but he’s still essentially a stalking puncher.
Edge: Alexander

Power: Urango’s punching power has produced some highlight-reel quality knockouts against lesser but normally durable opposition such as Carlos Vilches and it’s enabled him to get the better of more talented boxers such as Herman Ngoudjo and Randall Bailey. Alexander has above-average power but not the kind of pop that overwhelms extremely durable fighters.
Edge: Urango

Speed and athletic ability: Alexander is gifted with quick-twitch athleticism that results in fast hands and feet as well as sharp reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Urango is a physical specimen built like a Mack truck and he is strong as a bull, but his speed is average and he’s rather plodding in the ring.
Edge: Alexander

Defense: Alexander’s bread and butter is his ability to make his opponents miss while setting up counter-punch opportunities. He employs head and upper-body movement when he’s on the attack and his lateral movement also makes him a difficult target. Urango’s defense is comprised of his offense and his massive forearms when he covers up.
Edge: Alexander

Experience: Alexander acquitted himself well against former beltholders Junior Witter and DeMarcus Corely, but he hasn’t been in with the level of opposition that Urango has faced, such as Hatton and Berto.
Edge: Urango

Chin: Alexander has faced some solid punchers, including Witter, Corley and Miguel Callist, but he’s never been in with a bona fide KO artist such as Bailey, who was able to drop Urango but couldn’t keep him down. Urango’s whiskers were solid enough for him to take the best shots welterweight puncher Andre Berto had to offer for 12 rounds.
Edge: Urango

Conditioning: Both fighters take their profession very seriously, stay in the gym between bouts, and come ready to fight 12 rounds on fight night.
Edge: Even

Wear and tear: Neither fighter has ever taken an extended beating in the ring.
Edge: Even

Corner: Alexander has been with Cunningham since he first walked into the ex-police officer’s makeshift gym as a seven year old 16 years ago. Cunningham, who guided current junior middleweight beltholder Cory Spinks to the undisputed welterweight title, shares an iron bond of trust with the 23-year-old boxer. Saturday’s unification bout will be Urango’s first with Tampa Bay, Fla.-area trainer Pete Fernandez after a run with Evangelista Cotto.
Edge: Alexander

Outcome: Alexander will take an early lead utilizing a busy stick-and-move strategy. The younger man will outmaneuver a stalking Urango and beat the Colombian to the punch from a distance, however the 29-year-old vet will get closer to his target as the rounds progress. Urango will get in range and hurt Alexander to the body in the middle rounds, putting the young contender on the defensive for a few rounds. However, Alexander will rally in the late rounds, landing crisp combinations from mid-range and holding the power-puncher whenever he gets too close

Prediction: Alexander will win a close but unanimous decision.

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