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Alexander takes a bite out of the Wolfman...by
Mike Cassell The Philadelphia Boxing Report
(FEB 15) Whenever a
fighter travels to the fighting city of Philadelphia, he or she seems to
step it up a notch. This is their “dare to be great”
situation. This is their Superbowl. Philadelphia is where good fighters
come, to be great. On October 14th 2006, little known
mid-west tough guy, Marty “The Wolfman” Lindquist 13-5 9 KO’s,
arrived in Philadelphia, to face one of the area’s up and coming Light
heavyweights, Max Alexander 13-0 2 KO’s 1 NC. To say Lindquist
was in over his head would be an understatement.
The Wolfman needed an
angle, and found that angle behind the referee about 2 seconds into the
first round, when he hit an unprepared Alexander in right temple,
putting him to sleep for 6 minutes. Alexander appeared to be addressing
Referee Frank Cappuccino as the bell rang, and woke up in an ambulance.
Alexander was in unfamiliar territory. He had never been hurt like that,
and he felt Lindquist cheated, and acted unprofessionally.
Alexander’s camp demanded an immediate rematch, but had to wait the 3
months imposed by the PA. State boxing commission. The fight was later
ruled a NO CONTEST, due to a failed drug test by The Wolfman.
Alexander rededicated
himself. He lived in the gym, he got a nutritionist, he began to
understand what it meant to fight in this area, in short, he became the
Philly area fighter, everyone thought he could be. On Friday February 9th,
in the hallowed halls of the Legendary Blue Horizon, the world got a
look at the New Max Alexander, and we saw, was the beginning of
greatness. As the Wolfman entered the ring, you could see the immediate
size difference. The younger taller Alexander was not his usually
smiling self. He was not saying hello to anyone in the crowd, his brow
was stern, and his eyes never left Lindquist. The Wolfman was in
trouble, even he knew it, and worst of all, his face couldn’t hide it.
From the sound of the
bell, Alexander showed his incredible ring generalship, tagging the
Wolfmans tough beard, with combinations of uppercuts, and hard right
hands. Unbeknownst to the crowd, Alexander fractured his left hand in
the second round, but continued to pound Lindquist, knocking him down 3
times, and beating him to a bloody pulp over 8 bruising rounds. As the
final bell sounded, Marty Lindquist antics ceased, and he told Alexander
in the center of the ring, “You’re going to be a world champion”.
Max smiled for the first time all night. October 14th was a
fluke, he knew that, but he also knew, that his fall ambulance ride to
the hospital was the best trip he ever took. Mike Cassell |
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