Golden Boy Promotions has finalized the welterweight clash between IBF titlist Devon Alexander and Kell Brook, which takes place on Feb. 23 in Detroit, Mich. at the Masonic Temple Theater.
Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs) will be making the first defense of the title he won in 2012, when he outpointed Randall Bailey. It was his second fight at welterweight, having bested Marcos Maidana earlier in the year.
“2013 is going to be a big year for my career and I’m going to get it started right in an exciting fashion against Kell Brook,” said Alexander. “I worked extremely hard to win my title and I’m not giving it away to anyone. This will be a statement-making fight for me.”
With wins over Matthew Hatton, Carson Jones and Hector Salivida in 2012, the 26-year-old Brook (29-0, 19 KOs) from Sheffield, England is taking his number one rating and cashing it in for the title opportunity.
“This is the biggest night of my life,” said Brook. “When I turned up at the Wincobank Gym in Sheffield as a nine year old, this was what I dreamed about – boxing for a world title and on February 23, I’ll turn that dream into a reality. I’m in the best physical shape of my life and the best ever Kell Brook will be in the ring in Detroit and there’s no way that I am coming home without that world title. This is my destiny, it’s just meant to be and there’s nothing Devon Alexander can do to stop me.”
Showtime will televise the card beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and will also feature the junior middleweight bout between IBF champ Cornelius “K9″ Bundrage and Ishe Smith, in a battle of former contestants on The Contender.
In addition, Detroit prospect J’Leon Love takes on former champ Bronco McKart in a 10-round middleweight bout.
Tickets for the card have now gone on sale via Ticketmaster and the Masonic Temple box office, and are priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25.
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