On a highly entertaining weekend of boxing that includes a possible hype job being exposed a loud mouth being closed and an impressive bounce-back career rejuvenating performance. It was 24-year-old Alexis Rocha the southpaw from Irvine, California, who handed in the most impressive performance of the weekend. A dominant ninth-round TKO in front of his hometown crowd at the Galen Center on the grounds of USC of the undefeated Blair “The Flair” Cobbs, the loudmouth, that fight fans love to hate who know trains our of Freddie Roach’s famed Wild Card Boxing Gym. It was a one-sided beat down and a career-best performance for Rocha who moved his record to 19-1 (13), completely erased the memory of the Rashidi Ellis loss, moves his winning streak to three with all wins coming back way of stoppage and takes home our Fighter of the Week Award.
Rocha entered the ring at the Galen Center the betting favorite, but it was Cobbs who got off to the quick start scoring with short quick shots and there was a give and take throughout the first few rounds. Cobbs landed the short quick shots and scored in volume but it was evident that Rocha was landing the bigger, harder shots. After four evenings rounds on the cards, Rocha started breaking down “The Flair” and the tide shifted in front of the hometown hero, several left hands from a variety of angels wobbled Cobbs and had him on very unsteady legs. Cobbs made it through the fifth but the writing was on the wall and the beatdown was on the way. Rocha again staggered Cobbs badly in the sixth. Now fighting in survival mode Cobbs got more aggressive in the seventh and shifted the momentum back in his favor in the seventh but the success was short-lived as Rocha came roaring back unloading power shots in the eighth and a short right hand from the southpaw put Cobbs on the canvas. He wobbled his opponent a few more times throughout a very one-sided eighth round. Cobbs started the ninth shot out of a cannon. But Rocha had all the answers and some closing the show with several short, chopping lefts that buckled Cobbs sending him into the ropes. An overhand right sent him reeling again. Rocha unleashed the kitchen sink bringing in the referee to step in and stop the contest, Giving Rocha his 19th win and 13th knockout in 20 professional bouts.
It was a career-best performance for Rocha, and it came on the biggest stage. As he and Cobbs filled in for the main event when Vergil Ortiz had to pull out of his fight with Michael Mckinson due to being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. He did not allow the opportunity to slip. He now sits in the catbird seat and could secure any number of big-money fights. Fights that could include a showdown with Michael Mckinson, the two exchanged words in the post-fight press conference. He could scrap with Ellis in a rematch. He could land a fight with Golden Boy’s other undefeated welterweights Raul Curiel. Or he could possibly secure the big money payday and take on undefeated contender Vergil Ortiz at some point in 2022. Whatever fight is made next, Rocha has certainly removed any doubt from the Ellis fight and has established himself as a world-class, elite-level 147-pounder
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