With the opposition set, candidates in the 5^th District Senate race appear poised for a long match.

On Thursday night, Rodney Hubbard got some fight night recognition from boxer Devon Alexander, who wore one of the Democrat’s shirt - outlined in sparkling rhinestones - as he entered the ring before his latest victory at the Scottrade Center. (This is not the first time that Alexander, who is nudging Cory Spinks out as the ‘Lou’s hottest young boxer, has turned campaign wear into ring couture. Last year, he wore a Lewis Reed shirt to a fight that was nationally televised on Showtime.)

Meanwhile, one of Hubbard’s rivals, Connie Johnson, has announced her campaign kick-off will be Friday at a cafe on Delmar Boulevard.

The third contestant in the race, Robin Wright-Jones, scored a coup recently, capturing the support of former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronnie White, the first African-American to sit on the state’s highest court.

All three candidates could find themselves scrambling for last-minute donations today - the final day that donations can be listed on the April quarterly report. Though the money is worth just as much if it comes later in the week, an early show of strength could be vital in a race that forecasts to be this intense.

Ring thing: If you look close, you can see the Hubbard campaign shirt, sparkles and all, worn by fight Devon Alexander