By Vince D’Author: On Saturday night time, January twenty eighth, the WBO third-ranked welterweight contender Alexis “Lex” Rocha knocked out George Ashie (33-6-1, 25 KOs) within the seventh spherical in the primary occasion of the Golden Boy Promotions card that aired on DAZN from the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.
For the primary three rounds, the bout was fought in shut vary as each boxers stood stationary and traded energy photographs. With 1:23 left to go within the third spherical, Rocha was capable of navigate his opponent right into a nook, after which he proceeded to hit Ashie with a tough proper hook that despatched him right down to the canvas.
After struggling the knockdown, the Ghanaian boxer George Ashie was capable of rise to his ft and survive the ultimate minute of the third spherical. Within the fourth spherical, Rocha continued to use strain and land exhausting photographs, however each time it appeared like Rocha was going to take full management of the bout, Ashie would reply by touchdown exhausting counterpunches.
Spherical 5, the cellphone booth-styled battle continued as each boxers had been winging exhausting punches. Little or no physique work was being finished at this level as a result of each Rocha and Ashie had been locked in on headhunting.
Rocha landed a number of flush photographs upstairs, however Ashie continued to have his moments as he battled together with his again in opposition to the ropes.
In spherical 6, the referee known as a timeout on the 1:59 mark as Rocha suffered a lower on his left eye from an unintentional headbutt. After a quick go to with the physician, the battle continued, and regardless of the lower, Rocha remained aggressive on offense.
His cutman was capable of cease the bleeding as Rocha got here out within the seventh spherical, and he continued his aggressive assault by ripping photographs to the physique and following them up with flush photographs up high. Halfway by the seventh spherical, Rocha introduced the battle to an abrupt finish when he knocked Ashie out by touchdown a vicious proper hook.
With the victory, Alexis Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) was prepared to deal with the elephant within the room. Previous to the primary occasion and throughout the course of the battle, undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford’s identify was introduced up on a number of events.
Throughout an interview with the DAZN crew of commentators, former undisputed middleweight champion and present Golden Boy Promotions companion Bernard Hopkins acknowledged the plan of a doable bout between Terence Crawford and Alexis Rocha. Oscar De La Hoya performed an interview, and he additionally hinted at the opportunity of a Crawford-Rocha conflict.
Whereas addressing the media at his post-fight press convention, Rocha was requested a couple of huge identify he want to battle, and he talked about a reputation that turned out to be the theme of the night time.
“Why not Crawford? Why not Crawford? I need the large names, and like I mentioned, I’m proper up there for the WBO, and Crawford is a doable identify to battle subsequent.”
The 25-year-old Alexis Rocha concluded the Terence Crawford topic by sending him a verbal message.”Give me my shot, man, that’s it. I’ve been ready in line, and I’ve been knocking on the door. You was only a younger, hungry lion like me. Let me knock on the door. I’m attempting to open that door, and let me get my shot.”
