Alexander-Matthysse still in the works

Devon Alexander and Lucas Matthysse remain in talks for a junior welterweight fight in Alexander’s hometown of St. Louis, probably in June.

Matthysse was initially reticent to fight in St. Louis after what he believes was a robbery against Zab Judah in November in Newark, N.J., near Judah’s hometown of Brooklyn. But he will do it with neutral judges, a stipulation to which Alexander has agreed, said Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, Matthysse’s promoter.

The sides are still haggling over the bottom line, though.

“I just hung up with (Alexander’s promoter) Don King,” Schaefer said Wednesday afternoon. “We’re going back and forth on money. Matthyesse wants the fight, I understand through King that Alexander wants the fight and HBO wants the fight. Unfortunately, there’s not enough money available as Team Matthysse would hope for.

“We’ll see. We’re continuing to negotiate with King.”

Matthysse bounced back from his controversial split-decision loss with an eighth-round knockout of DeMarcus Corley in January.

In Alexander’s most-recent fight, he lost a 10-round technical decision to Timothy Bradley after the fight was stopped because of cuts above Alexander’s eyes.