Devon Alexander tops Lee Purdy in non-title bout

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander earned a convincing victory over Lee Purdy at Boardwalk Hall on Saturday night in a non-title bout.

Referee David Fields stopped the fight on the advice of Purdy’s corner at the end of the seventh round.

Alexander (25-1, 14 KOs), from St. Louis, was supposed to be making his first defense of his title, but Purdy (20-4-1, 13 KOs) failed to make the 147-pound weight limit.

Purdy first weighed in at 148 pounds Friday at Caesars Atlantic City. Under IBF regulations, Englishman had two hours to take off the extra pound, but still weighed 147.8 when he stepped back on the scale.

Purdy, ranked No. 4 by the IBF, accepted the bout on four weeks’ notice. He stepped in for No. 1 contender Kell Brook, a fellow Brit who sustained a foot injury while training.

With the victory, Alexander put himself in position for a potential fight against another English boxer, former junior-welterweight champion Amir Khan. Alexander would also relish a chance to face Floyd Mayweather Jr., regardless of the weight class.