Alexander - Kotelnik Preview

Alexander - Kotelnik Preview

By Rob Morris -

Devon Alexander and Andriy Kotelnik clash for the former’s WBC and IBF Light Welterweight titles in a fascinating fight on Saturday 7th August at the Scottrade Center, St Louis, Alexander’s hometown.

Alexander will be looking to prove he is number one in the red-hot Light Welterweight division whilst Kotelnik will be looking to get back into championship class having previously held the WBA belt at this weight. There is much riding on this fight as a fight between rival champions Alexander and Tim Bradley is reportedly close to being made..

Alexander is coming off arguably his biggest win in March this year when he flattened teak-tough Juan Urango in 8 rounds with devastating uppercuts, the Columbian having previously gone the distance with Ricky Hatton and Andre Berto.

Kotelnik meanwhile has not fought in over a year, since losing his crown in fact, to England’s Amir Khan on points in July 2009.

As good as Alexander’s win over Urango was it displayed a punching power not hitherto seen; Alexander’s record is 20-0 (13 KO’s) and he is regarded as a respectable though not particularly heavy puncher. It is also worth bearing in mind that the scorecards were close against Urango (one judge had Alexander up by 3 points, the other up by one whilst the third had Urango ahead by one). There are also some who say some of Alexander’s biggest wins (against Junior Witter and DeMarcus Corley particularly) came against men who were old and/or past their best as Witter and Corley were both 34 and had clearly seen better days. This is a tad unfair to Alexander though who has beaten every man he has faced so far since turning pro in 2004 and you can’t ask for much more than that. On his day he is a good counter puncher with quick hands and a good jab although he can be a little flat footed.

He had a long amateur career which culminated in a losing effort to Rock Allen in the final of the US Olympic trials.

Kotelnik fights in the typical East European style adapted from the amateurs; although now based in Hamburg, Germany he is originally from Lviv, Ukraine. He stands straight up, has a good jab and although he is a bit plodding, he usually finds a way to get the job done. As you would expect from a former Olympic silver medallist (in Sydney 2000) he is technically sound. He is the only man to have beaten the fearsome punching Marcos Maidana so far (albeit by split decision), a win that looks better by the day and has generally mixed in a better class than his opponent. He is also tough, his three defeats, in a 31-3-1 (12 KO’s) log have all come on points against solid opposition, Witter, Frenchman Souleymane M’baye and Khan.

The pick here then would have to be Alexander by decision; the blueprint on how to beat Kotelnik is already out there as proved by Witter, M’baye and Khan. Box, move, keep him off balance with your jab and give him different angles, all things Alexander is more than capable of. Whilst I don’t see Alexander winning 10 to 12 rounds the Khan did, I do see him putting in a fairly dominant performance and winning a comfortable decision.