Devon Alexander Returns With A “W”

Devon Alexander Returns With A “W” – The PBC’s “Toe to Toe Tuesdays” series featured the return of Devon Alexander on November 21st, as he returned to face veteran Walter Castillo.

Alexander (26-4) was returning after a layoff of over two years and fight fans wanted to see what Alexander had left after battling injury and personal problems. Castillo (26-4-1) was considered a serviceable opponent though he was coming off a layoff of over a year. Castillo sported height and reach advantages and his resume showed he had faced several big names, including newly crowned IBF world 140-pound champion Sergey Lipinets.

Alexander came out and appeared to be easing his way into his comfort zone. For his part, Castillo came out in a defensive posture, without offering a lot of aggression. Round two was more of the same but in the closing seconds Alexander sent a perfect straight shot down the pike that sent Castillo to the floor. Castillo focused and Alexander hit cruise control and outboxed Castillo the rest of the way. Castillo grew frustrated but he was never able to change the flow of the fight as he always wound up on the end of Alexander’s busy straight left. Overall, Alexander looked comfortable and there was little sign of ring rust. Alexander won a comfortable unanimous decision as he moves his record to 27-4 overall, notching his first win in three years.

Welterweights Miguel Cruz and David Grayton fought an entertaining ten rounds to open the evening’s broadcast. Round six saw Grayton take a knockdown and the seventh round saw Cruz cheap inflatable water slides cut by an accidental headbutt. That led to a strong close as both fighters went at it with added urgency. At the end of the day the judges returned identical scores of 96-93 across the board in favor of Cruz, who remains undefeated.

On the undercard, Gary Antuanne Russell and Antonio Russell, the younger brothers of WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr, both notched victories in six round bouts.

Tuesday, November 21st, 2017 – Coliseum, St Petersburg, FL

147 LBS 10 RDS: Devon Alexander Walter Castillo (100-89,100-89,96-93)
147 LBS 10 RDS: Miguel Cruz def David Grayton via UD (96-93,96-93,96-93)

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