Fight Week: Alexis Rocha to face Giovani Santillan; Jack Catterall also in action

Fight Week: 147-pound contender Alexis Rocha will face Giovani Santillan and Jack Catterall will return to action on a busy weekend.

FIGHT WEEK

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is scheduled to face Giovani Santillan in his toughest test in California. Meanwhile, in England, 140-pound contender Jack Catterall will return against Jorge Linares.

JACK CATTERALL (27-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JORGE LINARES (47-8, 29 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Echo Arena, Liverpool
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: No major title
  • Odds: Catterall 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Also on the card: Peter McGrail vs. Fran Mendoza, junior featherweights; Shabaz Masoud vs. Jose Sanmartin, junior featherweights; Aqib Fiaz vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights
  • Prediction: Catterall UD
  • Background: Catterall took his biggest step forward in a disputed split-decision loss to then-titleholder Josh Taylor in February of last year, after which a proposed rematch failed to materialize. He ended up putting Darragh Foley down twice and easily outpointing him on May 27, his most recent fight. The 30-year-old from Northern England is ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, which means another title shot is a realistic possibility if he continues to win. Linares, 38, is a former three-division world titleholder trying to remain relevant after three consecutive losses. He was competitive against 135-pound beltholder Devin Haney in May 2021 but was stopped by Zaur Abdullaev in a fight he was winning early last year and outpointed by Zhora Hamazaryan in December.

 

JOSHUA BUATSI (17-0, 13 KOs)
VS. DAN AZEEZ (20-0, 13 KOs)

Joshua Buatsi (right) will face friend Dan Azeez on Saturday.  Matthew Lewis / Getty Images
  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: O2 Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: Peacock
  • Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
  • At stake: No major title
  • Odds: Buatsi 3-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Also on the card: Mikael Lawal vs. Isaac Chamberlain, cruiserweights; Louis Greene vs. Sam Gilley, junior middleweights; Michael Hennessy vs. Harley Benn, junior middleweights
  • Prediction: Buatsi KO 9
  • Background: The winner of this fight reportedly will be the mandatory challenger to Dmitry Bivol’s WBA title. Buatsi, 30, is a talented 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who has remained perfect as a professional but has yet to face an elite opponent. The Ghana-born Londoner is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pawel Stepien on May 6. Azeez is a friend and former stablemate of Buatsi. The 34-year-old from London also has built his record against second-tier opponents. He last fought on July 15, when he outpointed journeyman Khalid Graidia in an eight-rounder.

 

ALEXIS ROCHA (23-1, 15 KOs) VS.
GIOVANI SANTILLAN (31-0, 16 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
  • At stake: No major title
  • Odds: Rocha 4½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Also on the card: John Ramirez vs. Ronal Batista, junior bantamweights; Joseph Diaz vs. Richard Medina, lightweights; Arely Mucino vs. Gabriela Fundora, flyweights (for Mucino’s IBF title); Ricardo Sandoval vs. Victor Sandoval, flyweights
  • Prediction: Rocha UD
  • Background: Rocha is closing in on his first title shot but must get past the unbeaten Santillan first. The 26-year-old from the Los Angeles area, ranked No. 1 by the WBO, has won seven consecutive fights since slick Rashidi Ellis defeated him by a unanimous decision in October 2020. He’s coming off a fifth-round knockout of solid Anthony Young on May 27. Santillan could be Rocha’s toughest test yet. The 31-year-old from San Diego last fought on July 22, when he defeated capable Erick Bone by a clear unanimous decision. This matchup also is a step up in opposition for Santillan. Terence Crawford holds all four major 147-pound titles.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

  • Brandon Glanton vs. Carlos Fromenta Romero, cruiserweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)

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