May 19, 2013
In an all action fight fought at a catch weight of 141 pounds the WBC junior welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse stopped the IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson within 3 rounds.
The much anticipated fight certainly delivered, after a cagey opening round, Matthysse upped his work rate in the second landing a lead right hand that appeared to hurt Peterson, he then followed up moments later with a solid left hook which resulted in the first knockdown of the fight. In the third and final round Matthysse sent Peterson to the canvas with a solid right hand , left hook combination, Peterson beat the count, but was soon put down again for the third time by another strong left hook, following this referee Steve Smoger waved the bout off.
This win for Matthysse cements his claim as the best fighter in the 140 pound division, with a potential blockbuster fight with Danny Garcia the only fight left for him at 140 pounds.
Meanwhile in the co-featured event, the last man to beat Matthysse, Devon Alexander notched another win on his record, successfully defending his IBF welterweight belt with an impressive performance against Lee Purdy, which resulted in a stoppage victory for Alexander.
Alexander landed consistently throughout the bout with his right hand, landing multiple power punches in concession with powerful right hooks and uppercuts to body and head. Alexander outclassed his opponent for 7 rounds until the corner of Purdy had seen enough, and ended the fight before the start of the eighth round. Following the bout Alexander later explained that he injured his left hand in the first round, and this was the reason for his lack of left hand work during the fight.
Purdy was a late replacement for Kell Brooke, who pulled out of the fight due to an injury sustained in training camp. Purdy’s camp explained after the fight that the late notice didn’t help with Purdy’s preparation for this fight, and he struggled to make weight for the bout. However even when taking this into consideration, it’s hard to see how Purdy could of overcame Alexander with the form he displayed in this fight. This win for Alexander, has now made him a possible candidate to be the next man to face Floyd Mayweather.
