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Hometown Favorites Cory Spinks and Devon AlexanderTo Fight on Don King-Promoted Boxing Card At
Scottrade Center on Thursday, March 27.
Pride of St. Louis: Cory Spinks vs. Verno Phillips & Devon Alexander vs. Miguel Callist
ST. LOUIS "Promoter Don King will present a championship doubleheader featuring St. Louis boxers Cory "The Next Generation " Spinks and Devon Alexander "The Great " at Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 27. Spinks is a world champion and his protege Alexander is nearing his first world-title fight.
Spinks (36-4, 11 KOs) is the reigning International Boxing Federation junior middleweight champion and will face former three-time 154-pound world champion and current IBF mandatory challenger Verno Phillips (41-11-1), a native of Belize now fighting out of Denver, Colo.
The undefeated Alexander (14-0, 8 KOs), the World Boxing Council Continental Americas super lightweight champion, will be in a championship unification match against World Boxing Association FEDELATIN super lightweight champion Miguel Callist (24-6-1, 17 KOs), from Colon, Panama.
"It the best of the old and the best of the new, and the best part of all is it taking place in The Lou, " the ever-ebullient King said, using the local vernacular. "Cory and Devon are the pride of St. Louis. They roam the world in pursuit of riches, greatness and championships but they always come back home to ol St. Lou. That why I'm calling this fight "Pride of St. Louis " because that what they are. "
Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Scottrade Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 314-241-1888 for an automated line or 314-421-4400 or 618-222-2900 for sales rep, or online at ticketmaster.com per-ticket-facility fee will be added to all tickets purchased at all locations, including at the Scottrade Center Box Office. Additional Ticketmaster service charges and handling fees apply. For disabled seating, call 314-622-5420.
Spinks is the former undisputed welterweight champion who currently holds the IBF 154-pound crown won in St. Louis on July 8, 2006, when he won a majority decision over Roman Karmazin.
In his last appearance, Spinks moved up in weight to face then World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization middleweight champion Jermain "Bad Intentions " Taylor at the FedEx Forum in Memphis on May 19, 2007.
Taylor experienced tremendous difficulty exerting his will over Spinks, who proved he could not only appear against a unified middleweight kingpin, but that he could compete at the weight. He darted within range to land punches and frustrated Taylor with his defensive skills throughout the fight.
It was difficult to find agreement on a winner among ringside observers after the fight concluded its 12 rounds. Rarely in boxing history have the disparities been greater between three judges. Dick Flaherty rewarded Spinks for his consummate boxing skills by the wide margin of 117-111. Gale Van Hoy favored the heavier-handed Taylor by the same score of 117-111. Michael Pernick favored Taylor by one round with a score of 115-113 to break the deadlock.
The road to retaining his junior middleweight crown will be no easier for the 29-year-old Spinks when facing the veteran Phillips, 38, who has won an impressive three world championships in his career, all at the 154-pound limit.
Phillips won his last world title in 2004 but dropped a close decision to Kassim Ouma in his next match.
In his next contest on June 18, 2005, Phillips came tantalizingly close to upsetting Ike "Bazooka" Quartey. Phillips landed a left hook in round nine that Quartey would later describe as "a perfect shot" that left the Ghanaian legend in serious trouble. Phillips pursued Quartey and was able to send him to the mat again at the end of the round, but the knockdown was controversially ruled a slip.
Even though Phillips was unable to stop Quartey when he had him hurt, if his second knockdown been counted the fight would have been ruled a draw as two judges scored the match in favor of Quartey by identical scores of 95-94.
Phillips has won his last three fights, most notably scoring a technical knockout over Teddy Reid and winning a unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Candelo.
Alexander has been a child prodigy fighting out of the Spinks camp. He made a significant move up in level of opposition in his last appearance, making a strong statement by winning a lopsided unanimous decision over respected former world champion DeMarcus "Chop Chop " Corley to win the WBC Continental Americas super lightweight championship.
At a just-turned 21, Alexander is believed by many boxing experts to be one of the top prospects in the sport. If he can defeat Callist convincingly, Alexander will edge closer to his first world-title fight.
Callist will certainly have the edge in experience. He 12 years older at age 33, and he has participated in 31 professional fights to Alexander 14. Like Corley, Callist is a southpaw but appears to be on the rise while Corley best days are probably behind him.
Callist has only lost once in his last seven matches "to undefeated Marcos Rene Maidana in 2006. In his last appearance, he won a unanimous decision in eight rounds over Charlie Navarro on Aug. 16, 2007.
Pride of St. Louis is being promoted by Don King Productions in association with Banner Promotions.
ST. LOUIS—A large media contingent arrived for open workouts by hometown sons Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander "The Great" who are appearing in separate championship matches as part of Don King’s "Pride of St. Louis" event at Scottrade Center and Web cast on DonKingTV.com on Thursday.
Former three-time world champion Verno Phillips is ready to face Spinks and become a four-time world champion. "I know I am fighting him [Spinks] in his hometown, but I plan to get my fourth world title and join the Hall of Fame. I can’t control the hometown fans. All I can do is control what I can do in the ring and show my skills." Undefeated 21-year-old 140-pounder Alexander is ready to fight in his hometown as well.
Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25 can be purchased at the Scottrade Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 314-241-1888 for an automated line or 314-421-4400 or 618-222-2900 for sales rep, or online at ticketmaster.com. A per-ticket facility fee will be added to all tickets purchased at all locations, including at the Scottrade Center Box Office. Additional Ticketmaster service charges and handling fees apply. For disabled seating, call 314-622-5420. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the first of nine scheduled bouts beginning shortly thereafter. 
Cory Spinks: (On his split with trainer Kevin Cunningham after 13 years)" "Egos get in the way. It has just been building. We [Kevin and I] have accomplished a lot in my career but I guess it is time for something new. From here, I am still happy and I’ll shine come Thursday night. "There is no difference (between Kevin and new trainer Buddy Shaw). Kevin was a great trainer. We have got to move on. You still have to be great in the end. This is my job and I plan to do my job come Thursday night. 
Devon Alexander: "I’m super ready. The hard work takes place in the gym before fights with how much you put into it. That makes the fight easy. I have to calm myself down on fight night because I get so excited.
