By Jake Donovan

Devon Alexander was at a career crossroads when he decided to take a break in 2015, with things not getting any better since his ring return two years later.

The bottom may very well have fallen out after his last appearance.

The former two-division titlist suffered the first knockout loss of his 15-year career, as he was dropped three times en route to a 6th round stoppage at the hands of Ivan Redkach. Their PBC on FS1 headliner—which came Saturday evening at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, Calif.—marked the welterweight debut of his opponent, but quite possibly the final fight in Alexander’s career.

I threw a lazy uppercut and he caught me,” said Alexander (27-6-1, 16KOs), who is now just 2-5-1 in his last eight starts, including 1-2-1 since his ring return in 2017. “I thought I could have kept going. That was my first time in my career hitting the canvas like that in my career.”

Alexander had been down just once before in his career, when he was dropped in the 4th round of a disputed 10-round win over Lucas Matthysse in June 2011. That bout was first fight after his 18-month super lightweight title reign ended in a technical decision loss to Tim Bradley, but he would go on to capture a major title at welterweight two years later.

Just one successful defense followed before dropping a decision to Shawn Porter in Dec. 2013 to kick off his current rough patch. Back to back losses to Amir Khan and Aron Martinez were enough to leave Alexander to rethink his career, as did an irregular heartbeat which has since been resolved.

His winning ways, however, have not received any such makeover.

“Of course, I am a warrior I had to get up. I am okay now,” Alexander noted afterward. “I know what happened. I know what I got hit with. It is just a shock. I am devastated.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox