Team RSR Fight Picks: Devon Alexander vs. Andriy Kotelnik & Tavoris Cloud vs. Glenn Johnson
Compiled by Brian Wilbur
This Saturday, August 7th, boxing fans will be treated to a solid double header from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Headlining the fight card will be hometown hero and unified IBF and WBC Light Welterweight Champion Devon Alexander. Alexander is one of the sports brightest young stars at age 23 and a perfect record of 20-0 with 13 knockouts. His opponent is Ukrainian tough guy and former WBA Light Welterweight Champion Andriy Kotelnik. Kotelnik lost his belt last July against Amir Khan and is eager to regain some hardware.
The co-main event is a terrific crossroads fight between two elite light heavyweights. Current IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Tavoris Cloud is an undefeated powerhouse with a 90% knockout ratio. Cloud has turned a lot of heads over the last two years, especially with his title winning effort over Clinton Woods last year. He looks to make his first title defense against the always-tough and rugged Glen Johnson. Johnson, a former undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion, is 41 years old but still appears to be going strong. He has fought the best 175 pound boxers of this generation and the last, including Roy Jones, Antonio Tarver, Chad Dawson, etc., and always has a good showing. Cloud is favored, primarily because of his youth, but he better be ready for the determined veteran.
Tavoris Cloud vs. Glen Johnson
Gina Caliboso
I’ll root for the veteran Johnson, but the undefeated Cloud just may get a challenge over 10 rounds. Prediction: Cloud by TKO in the 10th round.
Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett
The thinking here is that Tavoris Cloud should outwork “The Road Warrior” but inactivity, coupled with Johnson’s sense of “last chance” will serve to see him fall short in a close, hotly-contested see-saw battle. Glen Johnson by upset, controversial split decision.
Geno McGahee
Cloud by 10th round stoppage.
“Bad” Brad Berkwitt
Cloud by 10th round TKO.
Brian Wilbur
Glen Johnson hasn’t shown anything that leads me to believe that he is slowing down despite his advanced age. Until then I have to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he still has it. Experience will win out over youth in a typical Glen Johnson barnburner of a fight. Johnson by majority decision.
Jeff Stoyanoff
This strikes me as a potentially bad match up for Cloud. First, everybody seems to struggle with Glen Johnson the first time they see him (Jones, Tarver, Dawson, etc..). But, on top of that, Cloud seems to still rely heavily on natural gifts like speed, athleticism, and strength in the ring at this point. Johnson is very well schooled and exceptionally tough. He is going to take Cloud’s best stuff and he is going to fire back with his own. Any 41 year old fighter can get old overnight, but Johnson’s recent win over Yusaf Mack bolsters my confidence. I will support my own age demographic and go with the old man to spring the upset and win a majority decision in an all action fight.
Final Tally
Tavoris Cloud – 3
Glen Johnson – 3
Devon Alexander vs. Andriy Kotelnik
Gina Caliboso
You don’t get to be the IBF/WBC light welterweight champion for nothing. Undefeated Devon Alexander will be challenged by Kotelnik, but Alexander is just too strong. He’s defeated his last three opponents by KO, RTD, and TKO (against Urango earlier this year). Prediction: Alexander by TKO in the 10th round.
Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett
In Devon Alexander you have perhaps the best of the current pool of talented titlists at 140lbs today. We have yet to see him taken deep into a competitive contest where he has to dig down hard to pull it out. The thinking here is it will take another young stud, somebody like Timothy Bradley or Amir Khan, to do it. Andriy Kotelnik is a tough and talented former titlist capable of pressing Devon only so far, but ultimately “Alexander the Great” will prove worthy of his alias, cutting down his challenger for a stoppage victory sometime later, perhaps around the 9th round.
Geno McGahee
Alexander by UD.
“Bad” Brad Berkwitt
Alexander by 4th round KO.
Brian Wilbur
Alexander is on his way to boxing’s elite. Kotelnik is just a speed bump on the way there. Alexander wins by a wide unanimous decision.
Jeff Stoyanoff
Alexander should enjoy his homecoming coronation here. Kotelnik has neither the speed nor skill to spring this upset. Kotelnik has already been out boxed by Amir Khan and, in all likelihood, could have lost in his split decision win over Marcos Maidana in Germany. Nonetheless, Kotelnik hasn’t been stopped and he should make it to the final bell against Alexander who will likely be content to cruise to an easy unanimous decision win.
Final Tally
Devon Alexander – 6
Andriy Kotelnik – 0