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Victor Ortiz Vs Devon Alexander & More to Look Forward to in 2018!

By Joshua “City” Brewer

Victor Ortiz, 32-6-2, 25 KO’s and Devon Alexander, 27-4, 14 KO’s, will clash as they headline an upcoming Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Fox event this February 17th. The event will take place at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, TX. Both welterweights are coming off of victories in their lone fights in 2017. Both fighters have had stints of inactivity over the last few years, more lengthy for Alexander as he battled through a pain killer addiction. Alexander’s return is a bright spot as far as boxers overcoming demons to get back on track in a sport that often takes more away from individuals than it gives.

This is a bit of a crossroads fight for each of these two fighters. At the beginning of this decade they were both viewed as fighters who had the potential to become the next stars to carry the welterweight division to the forefront for years to come. We are now in 2018 and while they didn’t quite live up to the initial hype, they have made due in a very talented division. It didn’t come without bumps and bruises along the way. Between the two, they’ve practically faced the majority of the division’s elite and top tier fighters over the last several years. This includes Floyd Mayweather, JR., Lamont Peterson, Timothy Bradley, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Marcos Maidana, Lucas Matthysse, Andre Berto, Luis Collazo, and many other fighters. Those names alone show you that they’ve been around the block a few times.

After their matchup in February, we’ll have a real understanding of who may be poised for another run in the division here at this stage of their careers. That said, the road hasn’t gotten any easier as elite talent such as the likes of Errol Spence, JR., Keith Thurman, and Terrence Crawford sit atop of the throne at this point. While Crawford hasn’t actually fought at 147 pounds yet, he’s widely regarded as the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world. That said, the fact that Ortiz and Alexander are again back in the ring and looking to make a push is an added benefit for the division.

Caleb Plant, 16-0, 10 KO’s, will be the co-feature talent expected to shine when he takes on veteran Rogelio Medina, 38-8, 32 KO’s, in a super middleweight contest. Plant last fought in September, 2017, when he picked up a unanimous decision victory over Andrew Hernandez. Plant is one of the young talents from the PBC stable that they’re banking on becoming a star. He seemingly has the tools and a heck of a backstory to go along with the talent. Medina is a fighter that he should beat convincingly if he’s truly to be mentioned with the top of the division.
This card will also mark the return of Tony Harrison, 25-2, 20 KO’s, and Thomas “Top Dog” Williams, JR., 20-3, 14 KO’s, as he looks to get on the winning track after two tough KO loses in his last outings. The early part of 2018 is shaping up well coming off of a strong 2017. This could be a sign that the promoters are finally getting it. Bring the best fights and the people will come.

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