Junior welterweight titleholders Devon Alexander and Juan Urango, two of the key players in a deep 140-pound division, are finalizing a deal to meet March 6 in the main event of an HBO "Boxing After Dark" card, both sides told ESPN.com on Thursday.
Warriors Boxing promoter Leon Margules, who handles Urango, said Alexander promoter Don King sent him a contract Wednesday night and that they have agreed in principle to the deal, including the financial considerations for the bout.
"I think it's a very good fight. It's a unification bout and the winner becomes a major player at 140 pounds," Margules said.
Margules, who said his fighter has already signed a bout agreement, said the contract from King said the fight will take place at a venue to be determined in Las Vegas.
HBO has featured Urango in previous bouts and has wanted to feature Alexander and now it will get its chance, although Kevin Cunningham, Alexander's manager and trainer, said he still has to negotiate Alexander's purse with King.
"I'm positive about it," Cunningham said. "Don said he made Leon an offer and he will get to me on our business and we will hash out an agreement. I'm confident it will get done. We like the fight. We love being in a unification bout on HBO. I think this is great.
"Devon and Urango are both crowd-pleasing fighters, so it should be a great fight. Devon is slick but he is not a runner. Devon is going to be right there. He may give him a few angles, but Devon is a busy fighter. Devon is an aggressive boxer."
Alexander (19-0, 12 KOs), 22, of St. Louis, won his version of the title with a breakout performance against veteran titleholder Junior Witter of England in August. Alexander dominated the fight and made Witter quit after the eighth round.
"We're excited about fighting Urango," Cunningham said. "This is a fight Devon is definitely excited about. When Don called and said he gave Urango the deal they wanted I was glad to hear it. This is HBO. You ain't getting no joke fights. We know it's a tough fight. But we want to prove we're one of the next stars in the boxing game and these are the types of fights you have to take to prove that."
Urango (22-2-1, 17 KOs), 29, a native of Colombia living in South Florida, became a two-time titlist when he outpointed Herman Ngoudjo in January on Ngoudjo's turf in Canada. In his next fight, Urango got a shot at welterweight titlist Andre Berto, but was soundly outpointed in May.
Urango, whose only other loss came to Ricky Hatton in 2007, returned to the junior welterweight division in August and knocked out former titleholder Randall Bailey in the 11th round of a mandatory defense.
"I like my guy's chances because of his experiences," Margules said of Urango. "I don't think Devon has ever been in with a guy like Urango, who will put that kind of pressure on him. On the other hand, Urango struggles with slick guys like Devon. They're both left-handed, which takes away that advantage. It should be a good clash of styles."
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