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 protégé 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’s the best of the old and the best of the new, and the best part of all is it’s 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’s why I’m calling this fight “Pride of St. Louis” because that’s 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. 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.
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’s 12 years older at age 33, and he has participated in 31 professional fights to Alexander’s 14. Like Corley, Callist is a southpaw but appears to be on the rise while Corley’s 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.
Don King Productions has promoted over 500 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995.
DKP promoted Cory Spinks vs. Zab Judah II: Arch Rivals… Meet Me in St. Louis, which boasted the second-largest attendance for a boxing match at an indoor arena in history when 22,370 patrons sold out the Savvis Center (now known as the Scottraded Center) in advance on Feb. 5, 2005.
DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 15 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including four of the top five: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in the history of the world.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995.
Scottrade Center, located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, is one of the finest sports and entertainment complexes in the country, with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment and an unprecedented commitment to quality and service. Opened in 1994, the arena is home to the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club and also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events. The building is operated by Sports Capital Partners, owner of the St. Louis Blues, under the leadership of its chairman, Dave Checketts. For more information, please visit www.scottradecenter.com.
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