BoxRec

Alexis Rocha Moves Forward With Career; Will Face Anthony Young Atop May 27 DAZN Show

At least one welterweight is convinced of an undisputed championship on the horizon.

Boxing Scene has confirmed that Alexis Rocha will no longer wait out the process for his mandatory shot at the WBO welterweight title. Instead, the top-rated contender will revisit plans to face Anthony ‘Juice’ Young, which will headline a May 27 DAZN show from Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.

The development comes as the deadline long ago expired for Rocha’s team to negotiate with WBO welterweight titlist Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford for their ordered title fight. The March 20 deadline came and went without a deal in place and with Rocha’s immediate team initially calling for the WBO to order a purse bid hearing.

That moment never arrived, as whispers began of resurrected talks between Crawford (39-0, 30KOs) and WBA, WBC and IBF welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr. (28-0, 22KOs) in a fight to fully unify the division. Depending on who you ask, the two are either approaching a deal for a targeted June 17 Pay-Per-View event, or still far enough apart to where it’s doubtful that the fight happens next or even at all at least while both hold welterweight titles.

Golden Boy Promotions was noncommittal in a previous inquiry placed by Boxing Scene to see where things stood on Crawford-Rocha. It appears that the team is now prepared to keep the line moving for its rising contender.

Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) was due to face Atlantic City’s Young (24-2, 8KOs) atop a January 28 DAZN show from YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California. Young was forced to withdraw after suffering an untimely injury late in training camp and was replaced by Ghana’s George Ashie on roughly six days’ notice

Crawford even made the trip to Los Angeles from Omaha, Nebraska to meet with Golden Boy Promotions on a number of topics. Among them were plans to honor his mandatory versus Rocha as well as the possibility of entering a multi-fight deal. Neither of those matters materialized, as Crawford’s name was instead linked to a fresh round of direct negotiations with Spence months after their collapsed plans for an undisputed championship initially targeted for last November 17 in Las Vegas.

Rather than wait out the process, Rocha will move forward with his career. His team could petition the WBO to make an interim title available, although he would—at the minimum—retain his mandatory ranking.

Young (24-2, 8 KOs) has mostly fought out of his Atlantic City hometown but traveled west for the biggest win of his career. It came on a Golden Boy-promoted show, as the streaking bubble contender scored a third-round knockout of former WBO junior middleweight titlist Sadam Ali on the May 2019 Canelo Alvarez-Daniel Jacobs undercard in Las Vegas.

The victory was as much of a curse as it was a career rival. The combination of the pandemic and his high-risk, low-reward profile left Young out of the ring for more than two years, as he’s fought just three times since beating Ali. He enters this fight following an eight round points win over Jose Zaragoza last October 29 in Atlantic City.

The universe at least rewarded the 35-year-old welterweight gatekeeper with the payday that was once lost. It also gives Rocha his sixth fight in an eighteen-month span—all since his lone career defeat.

good, much more appropriate fight for rocha then crawford, he shouldnt have been anywhere near that

Something to look forward to later this month.

Press Release | Full Undercard Information

The fight night is set for Rocha vs. Young, scheduled on Saturday, May 27 live from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. The main event features Alexis “Lex” Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) who will defend his NABO Welterweight title for the third time against Anthony “Juice” Young (24-2, 8 KOs) in a 12-round fight.

Doors to the Special Events Center will open at 4:00 p.m., the Golden Boy YouTube Channel will stream the preliminary fights beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT/ 7:00 p.m. ET, and the DAZN broadcast will begin at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET.

As the DAZN co-main event presented in association with Cancun Boxing, Parral, Chihuahua’s Oscar Duarte (24-1, 11 KOs) will return to the ring after a masterful knockout victory against Alex Martin this past March in Long Beach on the undercard of Diaz, Jr. vs. Gesta. Duarte will participate in a 10-round lightweight fight against D’Angelo Keyes (17-2, 11 KOs) of Houston, Texas.

In the night’s special world championship presentation, Villaba, Puerto Rico’s Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo (6-0, 4 KOs) will continue his campaign to make history as one of the fastest in his division to become a world champion when he challenges current WBO Minimumweight Titleholder Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem (20-2, 12 KOs) of Santos City, Philippines. The 12-round fight presented in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions will be Collazo’s second time in the ring in 2023.

Opening the DAZN broadcast, fan-friendly fighter of Los Angeles, John “Scrappy” Ramirez (11-0, 8 KOs) will participate in a 10-round super flyweight fight against Fernando “Leoncito” Diaz (12-3-1, 4 KOs) of Riverside.

The Golden Boy Fight Night: Rocha vs. Young Prelims, streamed live on the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube page, will feature the promotion’s recently signed fighters. Korean-American Eric Priest (9-0, 7 KOs) of Los Angeles will make his Golden Boy debut in an eight-round middleweight fight. In a four-round super featherweight fight, Leonardo “Bazooka” Sanchez (4-0, 3 KOs) will look to continue his knockout streak. Opponents for both will be announced soon.

Opening up fight night and the Golden Boy YouTube Prelims, recently signed prospect of Santa Ana, Johnny Cañas will make his pro-debut in a four-round super lightweight fight against Jorge Lopez (0-2) of Queretaro, Mexico.

nice card tbh

Fight Week!!

Press Release

Golden Boy and DAZN have a show scheduled for Saturday, May 27th at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. The main event features Alexis “Lex” Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) in a welterweight bout against Anthony “Juice” Young (24-2, 8 KOs) in a twelve-round fight. The Golden Boy YouTube Channel will stream the preliminary fights beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT/ 7:00 p.m. ET, and the DAZN broadcast will begin at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET. In the co-feature, Mexico's Oscar Duarte (24-1, 11 KOs) will return to the ring after a knockout victory against Alex Martin this past March. Duarte will participate in a ten-round lightweight fight against D’Angelo Keyes (17-2, 11 KOs) of Houston. In a championship presentation, Puerto Rico’s Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo (6-0, 4 KOs) will challenge current WBO 105-pound champion Melvin Jerusalem (20-2, 12 KOs) of Santos City, Philippines. Opening the DAZN broadcast, fan-friendly fighter of Los Angeles, John “Scrappy” Ramirez (11-0, 8 KOs) will participate in a ten-round super flyweight fight against Fernando “Leoncito” Diaz (12-3-1, 4 KOs) of Riverside.

The Golden Boy Fight Night: Rocha vs. Young Prelims, streamed live on the Golden Boy Boxing YouTube page, will feature the promotion’s recently signed fighters. Korean-American Eric Priest (9-0, 7 KOs) of Los Angeles will make his Golden Boy debut in an eight-round middleweight fight. In a four-round super featherweight fight, Leonardo “Bazooka” Sanchez (4-0, 3 KOs) will look to continue his knockout streak. Opponents for both will be announced soon. Opening up fight night and the Golden Boy YouTube Prelims, recently signed prospect of Santa Ana, Johnny Cañas will make his pro-debut in a four-round junior welterweight fight against Jorge Lopez (0-2) of Queretaro, Mexico.

Prelims will be on YouTube

Anyone know much about the fella Oscar Collazo who fights Jerusalem for the WBO Strawweight title?

Only 6 fights in and he's got a title shot, saw someone said the hype is justified, never heard of him but being a Strawweight I'm not surprised

Fight Night !!

Date: Saturday May 27, 2023
Location: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, CA
TV/Stream: DAZN

Start Times
Youtube: 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT | 12 am BST (Preliminary Card)
DAZN: 9 pm ET | 6 pm PT | 2 am BST (Main Card)

Promoted by: Golden Boy Promotions

Main card

NABO Welterweight Championship
Alexis Rocha vs. Anthony Young

10 Round Lightweight Bout
Oscar Duarte vs. D’Angelo Keyes

WBO Minimumweight Championship
Melvin Jerusalem vs. Oscar Collazo

10 Round Super Flyweight Bout
John Ramirez vs. Fernando Diaz

Undercard

8 Round Middleweight Bout
Eric Priest vs. Ricardo Ruben Villalba

4 Round Super Featherweight Bout
Leonardo Sanchez vs. Uhlices Avelino-Reyes

4 Round Super Lightweight Bout
Johnny Canas vs. Jose Valenzuela Alvarado

Prelims are in 2 hours.

much better fight than an utterly mismatched rocha vs crawford, will try to watch

anyone watching this one?

yeah me.

Really struggling to stay woke tho'.
Scrappy Ramirez was good fight, let's see who gets it....?

ramirez might be the sweatiest ive ever seen a fighter

Good to see Oscar Collazo - everyone raving about a 6 fight novice...

Not seeing it yet - 2-0 Melvin Jerusalem.

Seeing it now - 3-2 Melvin, but Collazo has won the last two...

3-0 down, 3-3 now and looking good Collazo.

jerusalem has the same thing i see in a lot of pinoy fighters.......heavy shots, but can only throw them in 1s and 2s. very little in the way of putting the shots in bunches

lol my stream only just started the 6th, i must be behind

collazo giving melv a beating in the 6th to the head and body