THerre's Clear Channel's Steve Byes(who was hired to announce the boxing cards at Gateway to Greatness last Saturday at Scott Trade Center) , boxing promoter Don King and Don King Productions PR Alan Hopper taking a pic in the VIP area of Lucas Park Grille last Thursday. They were among the attendees for the premiere of STL boxing hero Devon Alexander's documentary, "The Devon Alexander Story," that aired on Fox Midwest Sports Channel that evening. The venue had an airing of it.
King was all hugs with the ladies including PR veteran Jane Higgins (left) and HOt 104,1 radio personality Janee (right)
King getting interviewed by a local radio station.
Some of the attendees which included (FROM LEFT) The Loft owner Drexel Stith, guest who was a ring girl, Devon Alexander's trainer Kevin Cunningham, promoter Mocha Latte, Stress Free Fridays co-owner Mario Wayne, promoter Joe Jennings and guest.
NOTE: Also there was photographer Stephen Garnett, and promoters Stuart Allen and Rob Kirk.
ON LAST FRIDAY:
There was a Weigh In of all the fighters who were fighting last Saturday at Kiener Plaza.. The host of the event was professional ring announcer Peter Vaccaro.
Steve Byes also was a host of the event.
Board of Alderman Lewis Reed ,who helped host the Devon Alexander Homecoming event to city hall, talked about the fight and hoped everyone comes to it.
Vaccaro brought up Alexander's younger sister , Robin who was very excited for her brother fighting.
He also brought up his older brother Jerome who predicted that Alexander would knock out Andriy Kotelnik in the second round.
Vaccaro interviews the King of Promoters, Don King arriving to the event.
The Devon Alexander Team, also arrived as the boxer himself took a pic with a fan.
Photographer Carlston Edwards temporarily becomes an assistant of sorts for Mr.King as he walks down the steps.
King got the crowd hyped about the fight and beckoned for the boxers to Weigh In and in his words, "get nekkid, get nekkid, get nekkid." LOL
A veteran photographer in the St. Louis area and his bling. He showed King a scrapbook full of boxing pics that he photographed over the years.
WBC representative Michael George presented King plaques to commemorate the Gateway to Greatness event.
Teen Swag came out to cheer on Devon.
Alexander, the reigning champ (20-0, 13 KOs) was the first boxer to weigh in in his category WBC/IBF 140 Pound Limit. His weight was 138 3/4 pounds.
Next was his opponent Andriy Kotelnik (31-3-1, 13 KOS) who weighed in at 139 1/2 pounds.
A member of the Kotelnik Team takes a pic of his boxer.
King with the champ pose with Kotelnik and Alexander.
The stare down.
Next up were the Light Heavyweight competitors. First up was reigning champ Tavoris "Thunder" Cloud (20-0, 18 KOs)who came in at 174 1/2.
His competitor was Glen "Road Warrior" Johnson (50-13-2, 34 KOs) who came in at 173 lbs.
In the crowd was boxing legend, Leon Spinks.
King and the champ pose with the two contenders..
The stare down.
Spinks autographs a boxing glve for a fan.
Next up was IBF Junior Middleweight Division starting off with reigning champ Corey "The Next Generation" Spinks (37-5, 11 KOs) who came in at 153 1/2 pounds.
Spinks' challenger was Contender reality show winner Cornelius "K9 " Bundrage(29-4, 17 KOs) who also came in at 153 1/2 lbs.
King and the champ pose.
The pose down.
There was HBO commentator and boxing trainer Manny Stewart (in yellow shirt)
Up next was the weigh in for the WBC/USNBC Cruiserweight Division. First up was contender St. Louis resident Ryan" The Irish Outlaw" Coyne (14-0. 4 KOs) who came in at 192 3/4 lbs.
Also contending was Warren "Hit Man" Browning (12-0-1., 8 KOs) who came in at 198 3/4 lbs.
Both boxers were contending for the belt held by King.
The stare down.
Former St. Louis socialite Demetrius Matthews takes a pic with Harold Lederman, the voice of HBO Boxing.
NOTE: Both Watch Party and Weigh In were exciting events but the latter one, was open to the public and surprisingly was not a mass crowd in attendance. Other boxers who weighed in that day was Ramzan Adaev and STL native Chris Tyler in the Junior Welterweight Division, Vardan Gasparyan and Jesse Davis in the Welterweight Division and Jorge Espinoza in the Super Featherweight Divison (his opponent Kansas City native Ryan Pederson was not at the Weigh In but at a later time).
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