Grammy-Nominated Recording Artist Drake Will Accompany Devon Alexander ‘The Great’ During World Champion Boxer’s Ring Walk Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena and Live on HBO
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010Two budding superstars—one from boxing, one from music—team up
Grammy-nominated recording artist Drake will join undefeated World Boxing Council Super Lightweight Champion
Devon Alexander “The Great” during the boxer’s walk to the ring for his world championship unification match on Saturday at Mohegan Sun that will be televised live on HBO (9:30pm ET/PT) from Mohegan Sun. The event is being promoted by Don King Productions.
Drake will perform his smash-hit “Forever,” which will provide a perfect opportunity to play to the song’s lyric, “Last name ever, first name greatest,” as Alexander’s ring nickname is “The Great.”
The song was included on the soundtrack of the LeBron James documentary film More Than a Game and peaked in Billboard magazine at #1 on the Rap chart; #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart; and #8 on the overall Hot 100 chart.
The boxer and rapper, both 23, recently met in Las Vegas where Alexander, a native of St. Louis, had set up his training camp. The boxer’s trainer-manager Kevin Cunningham and Drake’s managers noted the chemistry between the two emerging superstars and decided to pair them at Saturday’s boxing event.
“Naturally I’m a big fan of Drake’s,” Alexander said. “He’s a really nice guy and I like the ‘Forever’ lyric. I’m looking forward to hearing it as an added bit of motivation while I’m walking into the ring to face Juan Urango on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun.”
Music fans that viewed the recent national telecast of the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards may remember seeing Drake’s performance of “Forever” alongside Lil Wayne and Eminem to close out the show.
Alexander’s promoter Don King—whose music exploits include owning The Corner Tavern in Cleveland during the 50s and 60s, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002; the classic 1974 music festival that accompanied the “Rumble in the Jungle”; and promoting the “Jackson’s Victory Tour” in 1984—is excited to have Drake joining with his fighter.
“I’ve always loved music and Drake is one of the hottest artists in the world today,” King said. “We’ve got the best young boxer in Devon Alexander and this sparkling young singer Drake. It’s going to be something special on Saturday night.”
Aubrey Graham, better known as Drake, is a Toronto-born actor and singer recently nominated for two Grammys: “Best Rap Solo Performance” and “Best Rap Song” for “Best I Ever Had.” Drake, who is signed to Aspire / Cash Money / Young Money has worked with, and earned the respect of, the most innovative artists in the Hip-Hop world including Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem as well as musicians like Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, to name a few.
Drake is currently putting the finishing touches on his debut album, Thank Me Later, which is slated for a May 2010 release. Starting in April, Drake will headline the “Away From Home” tour, a Campus Consciousness tour, which has been selling out in ticket pre-sales.
About Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States. Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com.
About Don King Productions
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 has promoted or co-promoted 12 of the top 20 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.
