Alexander stops Purdy, Matthysse crushes Peterson

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (AFP) –

Devon Alexander (R) and Lee Purdy exchange punches during their IBF Welterweight Title fight at Boardwalk Hall Arena on May 18, 2013 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Alexander posted a dominant seven-round technical knockout of over-matched Briton Purdy.

International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Devon Alexander posted a dominant seven-round technical knockout of over-matched Briton Lee Purdy on Saturday.

Alexander’s title was not on the line after Purdy failed to make the 147-pound weight limit on Friday, but the champion improved to 25-1 with 14 knockouts despite hurting his left hand in the first round.

In another non-title bout on the same card, Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse was even more impressive in stopping IBF light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson, knocking down the American three times en route to a third-round TKO.

Matthysse sent Peterson down once in the second round and twice in the third.

Referee Steve Smoger called a halt at 2:14 of the third after the Argentine sent Peterson sprawling for the second time in the round with a left hook.

Devon Alexander celebrates a seventh round TKO of Lee Purdy during their IBF Welterweight Title fight at Boardwalk Hall Arena on May 18, 2013 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Matthysse improved to 34-2 with 32 wins inside the distance and is now expected to face unbeaten World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council light welterweight champion Danny Garcia later this year, with that winner likely facing England’s Amir Khan next.

“Now I know I’m the best at 140 pounds because nobody had ever dominated Peterson the way I did today,” said Matthysse.

Peterson fell to 31-2-1 with 16 knockouts. He kept his title, but admitted he was well-beaten.

“He won the fight fair and square,” Peterson said. “I have no complaints.”

Alexander didn’t deliver the same kind of fireworks that Matthysse provided.

He improved to 25-1 with 14 knockouts, but the southpaw said hurting his left hand meant he was unable to unleash some of his fiercest punches.

“I hit him on top of the head and hurt my hand. I had to get that out of my mind. I had a fight to win.”

He was still able to punish Purdy, leaving him bloody and battered before Purdy’s corner stepped in over the objections of their fighter and asked the referee to stop the fight after the seventh round.

Purdy fell to 20-4-1 with 13 wins inside the distance.

The fight had been cursed with bad luck.

Alexander was to have fought England’s unbeaten Kell Brook, 29-0 with 19 knockouts, but a foot injury last month forced Brook to withdraw from the fight, which was earlier delayed by a Brook ankle injury in December and a February biceps injury to Alexander.

Alexander admitted it wasn’t really the impressive performance he was hoping to deliver in his first defense of a crown he took from US compatriot Randall Bailey last October.

“There’s going to be a lot of critics,” said Alexander, who won for the fourth time since suffering his only defeat to Tim Bradley in January of 2011.