By James Walton. Alexander to call time at the Old Bailey.

After no action due to lack of prices, the betting ring is back this week. The column has had a good start with three winners from four selections.

  This week’s selection comes on the packed undercard of Danny Garcia vs. Erik Morales, in the shape of Devon Alexander vs. Randall Bailey IBF Welterweight title fight.

  Bailey 43-7(37KO’S) won the title back in June this year with a sensational knockout of Mike Jones in the 11th round after being well down on the scorecards and his corner fighting a losing Battle in an attempt to get Randall interested going into the 10th. He dropped Jones at the end of the 10th, Jones never really recovered and hit the canvas hard again a round later with the referee having no choice but to wave the fight off.

  Devon Alexander 23-1(13KO’S) has had a roller coaster of performances since winning the WBC Light-Welterweight title in August 2009. He followed that with one of the knockouts of the year vs. Juan Urango. He would perform poorly next time out, with the exception of HBO’s Harold Lederman many believed he got very lucky in picking up a decision vs. Andriy Kotelnik.

  The Timothy Bradley fight was billed as huge and would give people what they wanted in knowing who the true 140lb number one was. Alexander never really got going and seemed to be out thought and out fought by Bradley. Some questioned his fighting heart when it appeared he could of carried on when sustaining a cut after a accidental head-clash. Alexander lost a wide Technical Decision.  

Any doubts about his heart though have been dispelled in his last two fights when encountering two of the sport’s biggest punchers and coming through tough tests. Although the fight could of gone either way on the scorecards, Alexander had to show guts to haul himself off the canvas vs. Argentine banger Lucas Matthyse a result which looked ok at the time, but considering what Lucas has done since you have to give great credit to Alexander.  

Last time out he put up arguably the best performance of his career when winning every round against huge punching Marcos Maidana. This wasn’t a case of Alexander keeping the distance, running and holding when the pair got close. He genuinely hurt Maidana at times, it was an excellent debut at 147lbs and Maidana has shown since he is no slouch with a impressive all action win over Karass stopping the Mexican hard-man in eight rounds.

Looking back on the Jones fight Bailey was never really in it and pulled out one of those Hollywood shots. Alexander is 13 years his junior and that hard run may of made a man of him. I think Alexander will look to go to the body early making the old man feel every year of his 38. I expect Alexander to stop Bailey.  

Advice for this fight is 4pts Devon Alexander to win by KO/TKO/DQ 15-8.

SecondsOut.com to Doghouse Boxing.