FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Junior welterweight contender Devon Alexander has been brought along slowly since turning pro in 2004. But Alexander (18-0) will take a big step up in competition when he faces veteran Junior Witter (37-2-2) for the vacant WBC belt Saturday (Showtime, 9 p.m.). The network caught up with Alexander for six questions.

QUESTION: Were you surprised when Timothy Bradley Jr. decided to not fight you and gave up his WBC belt instead?
 
ALEXANDER: "Yeah, I was. I would have never done that. You know I???m going to fight. For me it's not about the money but about fighting the best and I'm going to do that. If you keep winning the money's going to be there. I just want to keep fighting all the fights I have to and someday retire on top.
 
"He gave up the belt and he has his own reasons for that. I can't get inside his head. But now Junior and I are fighting for it and it's going to be a good card. We'll see what happens; if there's going to be a unification after this or not."

QUESTION: What concerns you most about Junior Witter?
 
ALEXANDER: "Junior's a crafty, slick fighter. You have to be patient and fight smart but at the same time maintain that aggression. He's a veteran and I know people say I'm young and inexperienced but what people don't realize is that I've been around Cory (Spinks) my whole life. Junior fights like Cory and he's been getting me ready. He's not going to show me nothing I haven't seen before. I just have to show up and be smart and I will win this fight."

QUESTION: What do you say to the people who say you're too inexperienced to take this fight?
 
ALEXANDER: People don't know me. They don't know I've been fighting guys bigger than me and heavier than me my whole life. I've been the underdog my entire life and I've proved people wrong my entire life. So it doesn't matter who I fight."

QUESTION: How would you describe your style in the ring?
 
ALEXANDER: "I can go either way. I can be a boxer or a puncher. If you watch some of my older fights you see that I was fighting more like an amateur than a professional but the progression has gone more and more toward professional. I can either box with you or throw with you. Either way it doesn't matter. I'm going to be a smart fighter and do whatever it takes to get the win."

QUESTION: You've been surrounded by the same guys your entire career which is kind of a rarity in this sport. How have Kevin Cunningham (manager/trainer), Don King (promoter) and Cory Spinks (sparring) helped your career? 
 
ALEXANDER: "It is a little unusual but I have a dynamic team in front of me so why would I ever change it? I have a lot of examples in front of me so I just try and take something that all of them have to offer."

QUESTION: What do you like to do in your spare time?
 
ALEXANDER: "I'm really just a homebody. I'm not an 'out'type of person. I'm at home a lot. I have a son and a daughter and I like to just be at home and play with them. I don't like the party life. People ask me all the time and say, 'You're Devon Alexander, why don't you go out all the time' and I just tell them it ain't for me."