Tag: Alexis Rocha

Alexis Rocha makes strong statement by dominating, stopping Anthony Young in fifth

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha made a strong statement by dominating and then stopping Anthony Young in the fifth round on Saturday.

Alexis Rocha delivered a brutal beatdown Saturday in Indio, California.

The 147-pounder contender capped a dominating performance by stopping overmatched Anthony Young in the fifth round of a scheduled 12-rounder at Fantasy Springs Casino.

Roach (23-1, 15 KOs) bolstered his position as the WBO’s No. 1 contender, behind only champion Terence Crawford.

“I’m very hard on myself,” he said. “.. I giveĀ  myself about a ‘C’.” I still know I can develop a lot more. And we’re going to go from here.”

Everyone else would’ve given him a better grade.

The lefthander broke down Young (24-3, 8 KOs) with effective pressure, pounding his body incessantly and connecting on one powerful left to the head after another.

Young had success countering here and there but he couldn’t keep Rocha off of him and couldn’t avoid the winner’s big bombs.

The end came in an instant when Rocha landed a hard left that sent Young into the ropes and onto the canvas. He was able to get up but referee Thomas Taylor stopped the fight after looking Young in the eyes.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:15 of Round 5.

Rocha will have to wait to get Crawford into the ring. The titleholder is set to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship on July 29 in Las Vegas.

Rocha will be an interested observer.

“I’m the WBO mandatory,” he said. “I want the winner [of Crawford-Spence] next. And that’s it.”

Alexis Rocha makes strong statement by dominating, stopping Anthony Young in fifth

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha made a strong statement by dominating and then stopping Anthony Young in the fifth round on Saturday.

Alexis Rocha delivered a brutal beatdown Saturday in Indio, California.

The 147-pounder contender capped a dominating performance by stopping overmatched Anthony Young in the fifth round of a scheduled 12-rounder at Fantasy Springs Casino.

Roach (23-1, 15 KOs) bolstered his position as the WBO’s No. 1 contender, behind only champion Terence Crawford.

“I’m very hard on myself,” he said. “.. I giveĀ  myself about a ‘C’.” I still know I can develop a lot more. And we’re going to go from here.”

Everyone else would’ve given him a better grade.

The lefthander broke down Young (24-3, 8 KOs) with effective pressure, pounding his body incessantly and connecting on one powerful left to the head after another.

Young had success countering here and there but he couldn’t keep Rocha off of him and couldn’t avoid the winner’s big bombs.

The end came in an instant when Rocha landed a hard left that sent Young into the ropes and onto the canvas. He was able to get up but referee Thomas Taylor stopped the fight after looking Young in the eyes.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:15 of Round 5.

Rocha will have to wait to get Crawford into the ring. The titleholder is set to face Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight championship on July 29 in Las Vegas.

Rocha will be an interested observer.

“I’m the WBO mandatory,” he said. “I want the winner [of Crawford-Spence] next. And that’s it.”

Fight Week: Mauricio Lara vs. Leigh Wood II highlights busy weekend

Fight Week: Mauricio Lara vs. Leigh Wood II highlights busy weekend.

FIGHT WEEK

Mauricio Lara will defend his 126-pound title against Leigh Wood on Saturday in a rematch of their February bout, which Lara won by KO. Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Michael Conlan and Alexis Rocha vs. Anthony Young also are on tap.

MAURICIO LARA (26-2-1, 19 KOS)
VS. LEIGH WOOD (26-3, 16 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, May 27
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: AO Arena, Manchester, England
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
  • At stake: Laraā€™s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Lara 2Ā½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Jack Catterall vs. Darragh Foley, junior welterweights; Terri Harper vs. Ivana Habazin, junior middleweights (for Harperā€™s WBA title); Danny Ball vs. Jamie Robinson, welterweights
  • Prediction: Lara KO 5
  • Background: Lara has become a Brit killer. The 25-year-old Mexican knocked out Josh Warrington in 2021 in London to burst upon the boxing scene, after which the two fought to technical draw when Lara suffered a bad cut. That led to a shot at Woodā€™s title in February, when Lara stopped Wood with a monstrous left hook in the seventh round of a fight the loser was winning on the cards. Wood gets a second chance on Saturday. The 34-year-old from Nottingham delivered the performance of his career in March of last year, putting Michael Conlan through the ropes for a spectacular 12th-round knockout in defense of his belt. And he did well against Lara even though he was cut in the opening round. However, a left hook to Woodā€™s chin put him down and hurt him badly. He was able to get up on unsteady legs but his trainer threw in the towel.

Ā 

LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ (27-2, 15 KOS)
VS. MICHAEL CONLAN (18-1, 9 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, May 27
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
  • At stake: Lopezā€™s IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Even (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Anthony Cacace vs. Damian Wrzesinski, junior lightweights; Nick Ball vs. Ludumo Lamati, featherweights; Pierce Oā€™Leary vs. Alin Florin Ciorceri, junior welterweights
  • Prediction: Lopez SD
  • Background: Lopez is coming off a break-through victory, withstanding a late rally by Josh Warrington to win a majority decision and his first major title last December in England. The 29-year-old Mexican, a skillful boxer-puncher, has won 10 consecutive fights (seven by knockout) since he was outpointed by Ruben Villa in May 2019. Conlan, a 31-year-old Irishman, bounced back from his knockout loss to Leigh Wood in March of last year by outpointing Miguel Marriaga in August and stopping Karim Guerfi in the first round in December. The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and a participant in the 2016 Games is a polished boxer but has yet to establish himself as a top-tier champion.

Ā 

ALEXIS ROCHA (22-1, 14 KOS)
VS. ANTHONY YOUNG (24-2, 8 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, May 27
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Fantasy Springs, Indio, California
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Melvin Jerusalem vs. Oscar Collazo, strawweights (for Jerusalem’s WBO title); Oscar Duarte vs. Dā€™Angelo Keyes, lightweights; John Ramirez vs. Fernando Diaz, junior bantamweights
  • Prediction: Rocha UD
  • Background: Rocha has established himself as a legitimate 147-pound contender by winning seven consecutive fights since he was outpointed by slick Rashidi Ellis in October 2020. The 25-year-old from the Los Angeles area is ranked No. 1 by the WBO, below only champion and pound-for-pounder Terence Crawford. Young is a skillful technician from Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 35-year-old hasnā€™t lost a fight since 2016. His biggest victory was a third-round knockout of former 154-pound titleholder Sadam Ali in May 2019, Ali’s last fight. Rocha will be his toughest opponent since that fight. Young is ranked No. 8 by the WBO.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

FRIDAY

  • Kevin Hayler Brown vs. Julian Smith, junior welterweights, Orlando, Florida (DAZN)

SATURDAY

  • Lawrence Okolie vs. Chris Billam-Smith, cruiserweights (for Okolieā€™s WBO title), Bournemouth, England (no TV in U.S.)
  • Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti vs. Sagar Narwat, junior middleweights, Brampton, Canada (DAZN)
  • Lani Daniels vs. Alrie Meleisea, heavyweights (for vacant IBF title), North Shore, New Zealand (FITE)

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Fight Week: Mauricio Lara vs. Leigh Wood II highlights busy weekend

Fight Week: Mauricio Lara vs. Leigh Wood II highlights busy weekend.

FIGHT WEEK

Mauricio Lara will defend his 126-pound title against Leigh Wood on Saturday in a rematch of their February bout, which Lara won by KO. Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Michael Conlan and Alexis Rocha vs. Anthony Young also are on tap.

MAURICIO LARA (26-2-1, 19 KOS)
VS. LEIGH WOOD (26-3, 16 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, May 27
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: AO Arena, Manchester, England
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
  • At stake: Laraā€™s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Lara 2Ā½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Jack Catterall vs. Darragh Foley, junior welterweights; Terri Harper vs. Ivana Habazin, junior middleweights (for Harperā€™s WBA title); Danny Ball vs. Jamie Robinson, welterweights
  • Prediction: Lara KO 5
  • Background: Lara has become a Brit killer. The 25-year-old Mexican knocked out Josh Warrington in 2021 in London to burst upon the boxing scene, after which the two fought to technical draw when Lara suffered a bad cut. That led to a shot at Woodā€™s title in February, when Lara stopped Wood with a monstrous left hook in the seventh round of a fight the loser was winning on the cards. Wood gets a second chance on Saturday. The 34-year-old from Nottingham delivered the performance of his career in March of last year, putting Michael Conlan through the ropes for a spectacular 12th-round knockout in defense of his belt. And he did well against Lara even though he was cut in the opening round. However, a left hook to Woodā€™s chin put him down and hurt him badly. He was able to get up on unsteady legs but his trainer threw in the towel.

Ā 

LUIS ALBERTO LOPEZ (27-2, 15 KOS)
VS. MICHAEL CONLAN (18-1, 9 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, May 27
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
  • At stake: Lopezā€™s IBF title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Even (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Anthony Cacace vs. Damian Wrzesinski, junior lightweights; Nick Ball vs. Ludumo Lamati, featherweights; Pierce Oā€™Leary vs. Alin Florin Ciorceri, junior welterweights
  • Prediction: Lopez SD
  • Background: Lopez is coming off a break-through victory, withstanding a late rally by Josh Warrington to win a majority decision and his first major title last December in England. The 29-year-old Mexican, a skillful boxer-puncher, has won 10 consecutive fights (seven by knockout) since he was outpointed by Ruben Villa in May 2019. Conlan, a 31-year-old Irishman, bounced back from his knockout loss to Leigh Wood in March of last year by outpointing Miguel Marriaga in August and stopping Karim Guerfi in the first round in December. The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and a participant in the 2016 Games is a polished boxer but has yet to establish himself as a top-tier champion.

Ā 

ALEXIS ROCHA (22-1, 14 KOS)
VS. ANTHONY YOUNG (24-2, 8 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, May 27
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Fantasy Springs, Indio, California
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Melvin Jerusalem vs. Oscar Collazo, strawweights (for Jerusalem’s WBO title); Oscar Duarte vs. Dā€™Angelo Keyes, lightweights; John Ramirez vs. Fernando Diaz, junior bantamweights
  • Prediction: Rocha UD
  • Background: Rocha has established himself as a legitimate 147-pound contender by winning seven consecutive fights since he was outpointed by slick Rashidi Ellis in October 2020. The 25-year-old from the Los Angeles area is ranked No. 1 by the WBO, below only champion and pound-for-pounder Terence Crawford. Young is a skillful technician from Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 35-year-old hasnā€™t lost a fight since 2016. His biggest victory was a third-round knockout of former 154-pound titleholder Sadam Ali in May 2019, Ali’s last fight. Rocha will be his toughest opponent since that fight. Young is ranked No. 8 by the WBO.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

FRIDAY

  • Kevin Hayler Brown vs. Julian Smith, junior welterweights, Orlando, Florida (DAZN)

SATURDAY

  • Lawrence Okolie vs. Chris Billam-Smith, cruiserweights (for Okolieā€™s WBO title), Bournemouth, England (no TV in U.S.)
  • Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti vs. Sagar Narwat, junior middleweights, Brampton, Canada (DAZN)
  • Lani Daniels vs. Alrie Meleisea, heavyweights (for vacant IBF title), North Shore, New Zealand (FITE)

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Alexis Rocha focused more on maintaining momentum than Terence Crawford

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is focused more on maintaining momentum than a shot at Terence Crawford’s title.

Alexis Rocha vs. Terence Crawford?

Seems like a mismatch on paper, a capable, but evolving young welterweight contender against arguably the best fighter on the planet Even Rocha recognizes that Crawford would represent a mammoth challenge for him.

He asks a good question, though: How are you going to know what you’re capable of if you donā€™t try?

ā€œYou wonā€™t know if youā€™re ready until youā€™re in there with him,ā€ Rocha told Boxing Junkie. ā€œI feel Iā€™m ready. Once Iā€™m actually in there it could be a whole different ball game. Thatā€™s how it works.

ā€œWith anything in life, if you want bigger opportunities, you have to take risks. Fighting Terence Crawford could be a life-changing opportunity.ā€

A fight between Rocha, the WBOā€™s No. 3 contender, and champion Crawford became more realistic after the formerā€™s impressive victory over late replacement George Ashie on Jan. 28 in Inglewood, California, not far from Rochaā€™s home in Orange County.

Rocha, a southpaw, fought through a bad cut to put Ashie down twice, the second time with a single right hook that ended the fight instantaneously. It was a good look on national TV.

The 25-year-old acknowledged that it was a nice step in his career but cautioned that there is a lot of work ahead.

ā€œThe job is always to make a statement,ā€ he said. ā€œI knew I needed to make a BIG statement, a highlight-reel knockout in a main event. Iā€™m knocking on the door for bigger names, bigger opportunities. What couldā€™ve been better than a highlight-reel knockout?

ā€œā€¦ (But) I donā€™t feel Iā€™m peaking yet. Iā€™ve barely started. I just hit 25 a couple of months ago. This is just the beginning.ā€

Thus, it wouldnā€™t be the end of the world if Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) didnā€™t land a fight with Crawford anytime soon.

Heā€™s open about the fact he has room to improve. For example, he said heā€™s working on not staying in the pocket too long, which can be a strategy for avoiding big shots and prolonging oneā€™s career.

The way he figures it: The longer it takes for him to get his big opportunity, the better he will be.

ā€œMy job is just to be ready as a fighter,ā€ he said. ā€œAs long as I keep winning, as long as I keep making statements, my time to fight for a title will come. I just have to keep doing what Iā€™ve been doing.ā€

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Alexis Rocha focused more on maintaining momentum than Terence Crawford

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is focused more on maintaining momentum than a shot at Terence Crawford’s title.

Alexis Rocha vs. Terence Crawford?

Seems like a mismatch on paper, a capable, but evolving young welterweight contender against arguably the best fighter on the planet Even Rocha recognizes that Crawford would represent a mammoth challenge for him.

He asks a good question, though: How are you going to know what you’re capable of if you donā€™t try?

ā€œYou wonā€™t know if youā€™re ready until youā€™re in there with him,ā€ Rocha told Boxing Junkie. ā€œI feel Iā€™m ready. Once Iā€™m actually in there it could be a whole different ball game. Thatā€™s how it works.

ā€œWith anything in life, if you want bigger opportunities, you have to take risks. Fighting Terence Crawford could be a life-changing opportunity.ā€

A fight between Rocha, the WBOā€™s No. 3 contender, and champion Crawford became more realistic after the formerā€™s impressive victory over late replacement George Ashie on Jan. 28 in Inglewood, California, not far from Rochaā€™s home in Orange County.

Rocha, a southpaw, fought through a bad cut to put Ashie down twice, the second time with a single right hook that ended the fight instantaneously. It was a good look on national TV.

The 25-year-old acknowledged that it was a nice step in his career but cautioned that there is a lot of work ahead.

ā€œThe job is always to make a statement,ā€ he said. ā€œI knew I needed to make a BIG statement, a highlight-reel knockout in a main event. Iā€™m knocking on the door for bigger names, bigger opportunities. What couldā€™ve been better than a highlight-reel knockout?

ā€œā€¦ (But) I donā€™t feel Iā€™m peaking yet. Iā€™ve barely started. I just hit 25 a couple of months ago. This is just the beginning.ā€

Thus, it wouldnā€™t be the end of the world if Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) didnā€™t land a fight with Crawford anytime soon.

Heā€™s open about the fact he has room to improve. For example, he said heā€™s working on not staying in the pocket too long, which can be a strategy for avoiding big shots and prolonging oneā€™s career.

The way he figures it: The longer it takes for him to get his big opportunity, the better he will be.

ā€œMy job is just to be ready as a fighter,ā€ he said. ā€œAs long as I keep winning, as long as I keep making statements, my time to fight for a title will come. I just have to keep doing what Iā€™ve been doing.ā€

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Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev rolls on but biggest challenge lies ahead

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev kept his knockout streak alive but his biggest challenge lies ahead.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Artur Beterbiev ā€“ Nineteen knockouts in as many professional fights. The last eight in title fights, including an eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in London. That means even elite opponents canā€™t survive against the 175-pound titleholder. And heā€™s still doing it at 38 years old. All that is impressive any way you look at it. Beterbiev isnā€™t a one-punch knockout artist, a la Deontay Wilder. Heā€™s an excellent, experienced boxer adept at landing heavy, precise punches that break down both the bodies and will of his foes. Yarde gave a brave performance but simply couldnā€™t take anymore in the end, further evidence of Beterbievā€™s destructive ability. Is he in the class of Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue? Probably not. Theyā€™re far more dynamic than he is. Then again, if Beterbiev gets the fight he wants ā€“ against Dmitry Bivol ā€“ and wins, we might have to reevaluate his place among the best fighters in the world.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

The end is near for Anthony Yarde. James Chance / Getty Images

Anthony Yarde ā€“ The Londoner gave a solid performance, which is why he was leading on two of the three scorecards after seven rounds. He gave a stalking Beterbiev problems with his quickness and movement while also connecting on enough punches to impress the judges, which made the fight competitive. Yardeā€™s problem was his limited defensive ability. He simply took too many damaging blows, which led to his demise over time. In other words, Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) wasnā€™t good enough to beat a fighter with Beterbievā€™s ability. Where does he go from here? He probably performed well enough to get more opportunities going forward if he can get a few victories under his belt. One thing he might want to consider: Work with a fitness expert to reduce his bulk. That could enhance both his speed and stamina. Who knows? He might end up at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Dmitry Bivol ā€“ Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on a collision course for the undisputed championship, assuming competing promotional loyalties can be overcome. Who wins? Bivol. Of course, you canā€™t dismiss Beterbievā€™s chances for the reasons listed above. He hasnā€™t stopped all of his opponents by accident. The problem for Beterbiev is that he hasnā€™t faced anyone near Bivolā€™s ability. Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne, Joe Smith Jr. and Yarde are good; Bivol is special, as he demonstrated in his convincing victory over Canelo Alvarez last May. Alvarez is naturally smaller than Beterbiev but he has a similar style; he patiently, but inevitably breaks down his opponents to win fights. The Mexican star couldnā€™t do that against Bivol because of Bivolā€™s size advantage and superior boxing ability, particularly his defensive skills. Of course, Bivol wouldnā€™t have a size advantage over Beterbiev but heā€™s a much better boxer. That would be the difference in the fight.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item: Jake Paul and Tommy Fury have agreed to meet on pay-per-view Feb. 26. I want to say I donā€™t care one iota because itā€™s a gimmicky matchup between hucksters who are more adept at marketing themselves than actually fighting. The fact is Iā€™m curious. Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) might be the best fighter Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) will have faced. Can Paul land his big right hand against the half brother of Tyson Fury? Or will he meet his match against a good athlete with some boxing ability? Iā€™ll be watching to find out. What can I say? They got me. ā€¦ Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) delivered a dramatic knockout on Saturday in Inglewood, California, stopping late replacement and naturally smaller George Ashie (33-6-1, 25 KOs) with a right hook in the seventh round. The victory doesnā€™t mean much because of Ashieā€™s limitations but Rocha did what he set out to do, which was to make a statement. Heā€™s ranked No. 3 by the WBO, behind only champion Terence Crawford, Vergil Ortiz and Keith Thurman. Is Rocha in the class of such fighters? Iā€™ll just say that he hasnā€™t demonstrated that yet. He called out Crawford after his victory over Ashie. Nothing I saw on Saturday leads me to believe Rocha can compete with the pound-for-pound king.

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Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev rolls on but biggest challenge lies ahead

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev kept his knockout streak alive but his biggest challenge lies ahead.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Artur Beterbiev ā€“ Nineteen knockouts in as many professional fights. The last eight in title fights, including an eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in London. That means even elite opponents canā€™t survive against the 175-pound titleholder. And heā€™s still doing it at 38 years old. All that is impressive any way you look at it. Beterbiev isnā€™t a one-punch knockout artist, a la Deontay Wilder. Heā€™s an excellent, experienced boxer adept at landing heavy, precise punches that break down both the bodies and will of his foes. Yarde gave a brave performance but simply couldnā€™t take anymore in the end, further evidence of Beterbievā€™s destructive ability. Is he in the class of Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue? Probably not. Theyā€™re far more dynamic than he is. Then again, if Beterbiev gets the fight he wants ā€“ against Dmitry Bivol ā€“ and wins, we might have to reevaluate his place among the best fighters in the world.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

The end is near for Anthony Yarde. James Chance / Getty Images

Anthony Yarde ā€“ The Londoner gave a solid performance, which is why he was leading on two of the three scorecards after seven rounds. He gave a stalking Beterbiev problems with his quickness and movement while also connecting on enough punches to impress the judges, which made the fight competitive. Yardeā€™s problem was his limited defensive ability. He simply took too many damaging blows, which led to his demise over time. In other words, Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) wasnā€™t good enough to beat a fighter with Beterbievā€™s ability. Where does he go from here? He probably performed well enough to get more opportunities going forward if he can get a few victories under his belt. One thing he might want to consider: Work with a fitness expert to reduce his bulk. That could enhance both his speed and stamina. Who knows? He might end up at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Dmitry Bivol ā€“ Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on a collision course for the undisputed championship, assuming competing promotional loyalties can be overcome. Who wins? Bivol. Of course, you canā€™t dismiss Beterbievā€™s chances for the reasons listed above. He hasnā€™t stopped all of his opponents by accident. The problem for Beterbiev is that he hasnā€™t faced anyone near Bivolā€™s ability. Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne, Joe Smith Jr. and Yarde are good; Bivol is special, as he demonstrated in his convincing victory over Canelo Alvarez last May. Alvarez is naturally smaller than Beterbiev but he has a similar style; he patiently, but inevitably breaks down his opponents to win fights. The Mexican star couldnā€™t do that against Bivol because of Bivolā€™s size advantage and superior boxing ability, particularly his defensive skills. Of course, Bivol wouldnā€™t have a size advantage over Beterbiev but heā€™s a much better boxer. That would be the difference in the fight.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item: Jake Paul and Tommy Fury have agreed to meet on pay-per-view Feb. 26. I want to say I donā€™t care one iota because itā€™s a gimmicky matchup between hucksters who are more adept at marketing themselves than actually fighting. The fact is Iā€™m curious. Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) might be the best fighter Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) will have faced. Can Paul land his big right hand against the half brother of Tyson Fury? Or will he meet his match against a good athlete with some boxing ability? Iā€™ll be watching to find out. What can I say? They got me. ā€¦ Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) delivered a dramatic knockout on Saturday in Inglewood, California, stopping late replacement and naturally smaller George Ashie (33-6-1, 25 KOs) with a right hook in the seventh round. The victory doesnā€™t mean much because of Ashieā€™s limitations but Rocha did what he set out to do, which was to make a statement. Heā€™s ranked No. 3 by the WBO, behind only champion Terence Crawford, Vergil Ortiz and Keith Thurman. Is Rocha in the class of such fighters? Iā€™ll just say that he hasnā€™t demonstrated that yet. He called out Crawford after his victory over Ashie. Nothing I saw on Saturday leads me to believe Rocha can compete with the pound-for-pound king.

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Alexis Rocha stops George Ashie with huge hook in Round 7

Alexis Rocha stopped George Ashie with a singe right hook in Round 7 on Saturday in Inglewood, California.

Alexis Rocha took another step toward a truly big fight.

The welterweight contender put late replacement George Ashie down twice and stopped him with one punch in the seventh round Saturday at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California. The official time of the stoppage was 2:08.

Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) had been scheduled to face Anthony Young but Young was pulled off the card early this week. And Ashie, a 38-year-old veteran from Ghana, agreed to step in.

Ashie proved to be willing but he didnā€™t have the skill set to avoid the shots Rocha was throwing at him.

Rocha, a southpaw, put Ashie down and hurt him with a vicious right hook with about 20 seconds remaining in Round 3. Ashie survived the round but the early adversity was a bad sign for him.

Rocha stayed on top of Ashie with a high volume of punches from then on, even after he suffered a bad cut from a clash of heads in Round 6. Ashie fired back at the hittable Rocha, never for a minute giving up, but Rochaā€™s punches began to wear him down.

Finally, in Round 7, Rocha landed another perfect right hook that put Ashie flat on his face. However, this time, with Ashie obviously unable to continue, referee Thomas Taylor immediately ended the fight.

Rocha now has won six consecutive fights since he was outpointed by slick Rashidi Ellis in October 2020, a successful run that has lifted into the rankings.

Heā€™s the WBOā€™s No. 3 contender, behind only champion Terence Crawford, No. 1 Vergil Ortiz and No. 2 Keith Thurman, who is expected to challenge WBC titleholder Errol Spence Jr.

The 25-year-old from Orange County, California, believes heā€™s ready for the level of opposition listed above.

ā€œIā€™m ready for the big names,ā€ Rocha said. ā€œErrol Spence doesnā€™t want to fight Crawford for some reason; heā€™s fighting Thurman. Iā€™m next in the WBO. I want Crawford next. ā€¦

ā€œI know what Iā€™m capable of. I know when I fight, whoever it is in front of me, Iā€™ll take it to the next level.ā€

Alexis Rocha stops George Ashie with huge hook in Round 7

Alexis Rocha stopped George Ashie with a singe right hook in Round 7 on Saturday in Inglewood, California.

Alexis Rocha took another step toward a truly big fight.

The welterweight contender put late replacement George Ashie down twice and stopped him with one punch in the seventh round Saturday at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California. The official time of the stoppage was 2:08.

Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) had been scheduled to face Anthony Young but Young was pulled off the card early this week. And Ashie, a 38-year-old veteran from Ghana, agreed to step in.

Ashie proved to be willing but he didnā€™t have the skill set to avoid the shots Rocha was throwing at him.

Rocha, a southpaw, put Ashie down and hurt him with a vicious right hook with about 20 seconds remaining in Round 3. Ashie survived the round but the early adversity was a bad sign for him.

Rocha stayed on top of Ashie with a high volume of punches from then on, even after he suffered a bad cut from a clash of heads in Round 6. Ashie fired back at the hittable Rocha, never for a minute giving up, but Rochaā€™s punches began to wear him down.

Finally, in Round 7, Rocha landed another perfect right hook that put Ashie flat on his face. However, this time, with Ashie obviously unable to continue, referee Thomas Taylor immediately ended the fight.

Rocha now has won six consecutive fights since he was outpointed by slick Rashidi Ellis in October 2020, a successful run that has lifted into the rankings.

Heā€™s the WBOā€™s No. 3 contender, behind only champion Terence Crawford, No. 1 Vergil Ortiz and No. 2 Keith Thurman, who is expected to challenge WBC titleholder Errol Spence Jr.

The 25-year-old from Orange County, California, believes heā€™s ready for the level of opposition listed above.

ā€œIā€™m ready for the big names,ā€ Rocha said. ā€œErrol Spence doesnā€™t want to fight Crawford for some reason; heā€™s fighting Thurman. Iā€™m next in the WBO. I want Crawford next. ā€¦

ā€œI know what Iā€™m capable of. I know when I fight, whoever it is in front of me, Iā€™ll take it to the next level.ā€