BoxRec

Alexis Rocha-Giovani Santillan Welterweight Clash Eyed For October

Alexis Rocha will take on his biggest risk yet while waiting out a title shot.

BS.com has confirmed that the streaking contender will next face unbeaten welterweight Giovani Santillan. A date and location are not yet set for the intriguing bout, though it is targeted for a October 21 show in Southern California where both boxers are based as well as Golden Boy Promotions’ headquarters.

It remains unclear if an interim title will be made available. Both boxers are rated in the top five of the WBO’s most recent welterweight rankings—Santillan is number one, while Rocha is the number-one and mandatory contender.

Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford (40-0, 31KOs) is the division’s undisputed champion but is likely to take a more high-profile fight for his next outing.

The agreement in place comes without a confirmed televised date. It will likely headline a DAZN show but that part was not yet finalized, Boxing Scene has learned. Rocha regularly fights on DAZN through Golden Boy’s deal with the streaming service; Santillan fights for Top Rank and is managed by David McWater.

The fight will mark the third ring appearance of 2023 for the active Rocha (23-1, 15KOs), as well as his seventh fight in just over two years following his lone career defeat.

The 26-year-old southpaw from Santa Ana headlined a pair of DAZN shows while waiting out his due shot at the WBO title. He scored a highlight reel, seventh-round knockout of George Ashie on January 28 atop the first ever boxing event at what was a sold-out YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California. Rocha was originally due to face Anthony Young, whom he would fight and stop inside of five rounds on May 28 in Indio, California.

Santillan (31-0, 16KOs) ended an eleven-month unwelcomed ring absence with a ten-round points win over Erick Bone this past July 22 in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

The 31-year-old southpaw from San Diego has enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks although his two most notable wins were both met with mild criticism over the final outcome. His June 2020 majority decision over former lightweight titlist Antonio DeMarco could have easily gone the other way, while a ten-round, unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Julio Luna was rightly criticized for a pair of 100-90 scores in a very competitive fight.

Rocha has won seven straight since an October 2020 defeat to Rashidi Ellis when both were prospects. He has since emerged as the top-rated challenger to the WBO welterweight title. However, he was forced to go another route when it was learned that Crawford agreed to terms for a superfight with Errol Spence (28-1, 22KOs) for the undisputed championship.

Press Release

In a fight that could shake up the division, Southern California’s top welterweight warriors will measure up against each other as they pursue their dreams to become a world champion. NABO welterweight titleholder and No.1 WBO-ranked Alexis “Lex” Rocha (23-1, 15 KOs) of Santa Ana will take on his most dangerous challenge yet against San Diego’s undefeated and No.4 WBO-ranked Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan (31-0, 16 KOs) in a title defense scheduled for 12-rounds. Presented in association with Top Rank, the fight will take place at the famous Kia Forum and broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.

“Alexis’ confidence and dedication can be seen in the fact that he fights more often than any contender in the sport and takes on all comers -- including those with undefeated records,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “While Lex fully deserves a title shot, he also knows the value of staying active as demonstrated by his vast improvement over the last few years. I expect another standout performance from the pride of Santa Ana and another step up the ladder of the welterweight division.”

Rocha has steadily climbed to the top of the rankings. Since winning the NABO welterweight title in July 2022, the southpaw has successfully defended his title three times and is one of the busiest contenders.


“October is a big month in my career. This is the type of match up that I have prepared for,” said Rocha. “I know my opponent and his entire team well. I respect them all, and I know I’ll need to be at my best come fight night. But that’s what I demand of myself in every fight and that’s what will happen come October 21. I will be at my best, and my best is at a different level. I know Giovani asked for this fight, but like my coach always says, be careful what you wish for.”

The undefeated Santillan is ravenous for a ripe opportunity to demonstrate he is ready for a shot at a world title after more than a decade in the sport. With a spotless record, Santillan has proven he has the arsenal and the gas tank to go into deep waters with the toughest of boxing foes.

“This is going to be a tremendous battle between two of Southern California’s welterweight warriors,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I have no doubt Giovani will rise to the occasion. I also give Alexis Rocha credit for accepting this challenge. He is on the verge of a world title shot and risking a lot in facing Giovani. I can’t wait until October 21.”

The southpaw has also previously claimed ownership of the NABO welterweight title and successfully defended it twice. He was last seen in July in a competitive matchup against Ecuador’s Erick Bone that went the distance.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for an opportunity against a fighter of Rocha’s caliber. Defeating Rocha puts me in the world title mix and in position for even bigger fights, but I am focused on the task at hand,” Santillan said. “I wanted this fight, so as soon as Top Rank and my management told me this fight was happening, I was thrilled. This is my time, and I am going to take full advantage of this opportunity.”

Alexis Rocha & Giovani Santillan Promise All-Action Slugfest On October 21

Santa Ana’s Alexis “Lex” Rocha and San Diego’s Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan are both promising an all-action Southern California slugfest when the pair of welterweight upstarts meet in a twelve-round bout on October 21.

Rocha (23-1, 15 KOs) and Santillan (31-0, 16 KOs) will headline a DAZN card promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and presented in association with Top Rank at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

“It was very easy taking the fight. This is what it’s all about. I want to be the best and in order to be the best you have to fight one of the best and that's what Giovani Santillan presents,” Rocha said during a kickoff press conference held at Golden Boy headquarters.

"It takes a dedicated team to get where I'm at today. I feel that I've grown so much over time and now is my moment, and I want to keep just banging on the door for a world title. I know that Giovani is gonna be a good opponent. I'm not thinking about [undisputed welterweight champion Terence] Crawford. For me, this is a world title shot – this is a world title fight."

Rocha is the WBO’s No. 1 contender at 147 pounds and will be headlining a card for the third time this year. The 26-year-old southpaw beat George Ashie in January and Anthony Young in May.

“We respect each other,” said Rocha. “I feel like we are two of the same people. We're out to prove ourselves. We're fortunate that we are going to prove ourselves against each other and do the talking in the ring. He's going to bring it. I'm going to bring it. It's going to make a fan-friendly fight.”

The 31-year-old Santillan will present Rocha with yet another tough test in their evenly-matched fight.

In July, the Top Rank-promoted and WBO No. 4-ranked Santillan beat Erick Bone via unanimous decision.

"This is going to be an exciting fight, we're both Mexican fighters,” said Santillan. “You know, we have that Mexican blood inside of us, you know, and we're gonna come with that fire for sure."

Oscar De La Hoya believes Rocha is destined to soon be a world title challenger should he score a victory.

“Alexis Rocha is knocking on the door. Giovani has an amazing opportunity. So this is what boxing is all about,” said De La Hoya.

"I think that Alexis Rocha has proven that he belongs in this spot, that he has what it takes to become a world champion … But first thing is first, he has a very difficult tough opponent in front of him. I strongly feel that Giovani with his undefeated record is coming with everything, guns blazing."

Press Release | Joseph Diaz vs. Richard Medina, Mucino vs. Fundora Added

Former World Champion Joseph “JoJo” Diaz (33-4-1, 15 KOs) of South El Monte is scheduled to return in a 10-round fight against the up-and-coming pugilist Richard “El Castigo” Medina (15-1, 8 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas. The lightweight match will be featured as the co-main event on the upcoming Rocha vs. Santillan card taking place at the Kia Forum on Saturday, October 21.

In the night’s championship fight, IBF Flyweight Titleholder Arely ”Ametralladora” Muciño (32-3-2, 11 KOs) will defend her hard-won title against the Coachella Valley’s undefeated Gabriela Fundora (11-0, 4 KOs). This will be the four-time flyweight titlist’s first defense after a war with Leonela Yudica in October 2022 that saw her take the Argentinian’s belt. Fundora's first attempt at a world championship belt, she was last seen in a victorious fight against Maria Santizo that went the distance.

Also on DAZN in a 10-round flyweight fight, Rialto’s Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (22-2, 16 KOs) will return to the ring after a tough, toe-to-toe matchup against Rocco Santomauro. Opening the broadcast, David “Dynamite” Stevens (13-0, 9 KOs) will hope to maintain his clean record in an eight-round super middleweight match. Opponents for both will be announced soon.

On the preliminary card, San Fernando’s Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco will make her anticipated professional debut with a four-round featherweight fight after a robust and decorated amateur career. Waianae, Hawaii’s Dalis Kaleiopu (4-0, 3 KOs) will participate in a six-round lightweight match. He was last seen going the distance last March against veteran boxer Jonathan “Popeye” Perez. Opponents for both will be announced soon.

Scrappy Ramirez-Ronal Batista WBA Title Eliminator Moved To Oct. 21 Rocha-Santillan DAZN Show

John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez will have to wait two more weeks to inch closer towards his first major title.

Golden Boy Promotions confirmed that Ramirez’s planned clash versus Panama’s Ronal Batista will no longer take place this weekend as originally scheduled. The WBA junior bantamweight title eliminator will now land on an October 21 DAZN show, also presented by Golden Boy and headlined by the Alexis Rocha-Giovanni Santillan welterweight bout from the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

The move means that Los Angeles’ Ramirez will no longer appear on the same DAZN show this weekend as his training stablemate. Saturday’s card moves forward with Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs; no relation), the former WBO super middleweight who faces former WBO light heavyweight titlist Joe Smith Jr. in a scheduled twelve-round WBA cruiserweight title eliminator from Chelsea Ballroom at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Bektemir Melikuziev (12-1, 9 KOs) and Alantez ‘SlyAzA’ Fox (28-4-1, 13 KOs) will move into the co-feature slot for Saturday’s show in a scheduled ten-round regional super middleweight title fight.

No reason was given for the Ramirez-Batista postponement.

Los Angeles’ Ramirez (12-0, 8 KOs) has gone the distance in three of his last four starts. The flamboyant 27-year-old budding contender earned a ten-round, split decision over Fernando Diaz in his most recent start on May 27 at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. The bout appeared on a DAZN show also headlined by Rocha, who stopped Anthony Young in the fifth round of their welterweight contest.

Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) enters off his first career title fight. It ended in an eleventh-round knockout defeat to WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs; 2 NC) on the May 6 Canelo Alvarez-John Ryder undercard in Zapopan, Mexico. The 26-year-old Panamanian previously won three straight at junior bantamweight, where he returns for what will serve as his U.S. debut.

The winner of the title eliminator will become the mandatory challenger to four-division and reigning WBA junior bantamweight titlist Kazuto Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KOs), whom–as Boxing Scene previously reported—is in advanced talks for a unification bout with lineal and WBC champ Juan Francisco ‘El Gallo’ Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs). Once finalized, the junior bantamweight championship will headline a New Year’s Eve show in Tokyo.

Fight Week!!

Date: October 21, 2023

Location: The Kia Forum - Inglewood, CA

Times
Main card: 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT / 1 am BST
Preliminary card: 6:05 pm ET / 3:05 pm PT / 11:05 pm BST

Main card

Alexis Rocha (147) vs. Giovani Santillan (146.6) – NABO welterweight title

John Ramirez (115) vs. Ronal Batista (114.2) - 12 rounds WBA super flyweight title eliminator

Ricardo Sandoval (111.8) vs. Victor Efrain Sandoval (111.2) - 10 rounds flyweight

Arely Mucino (111.8) vs. Gabriela Fundora (110.8) - IBF flyweight title

David Stevens (167) vs. Joeshon James (166.8) - 8 rounds super middleweight

Prelims

Iyana Verduzco (132.8) vs. Clarice Morales (132.2) - 4 rounds lightweight

Fabian Guzman (154.2) vs. Rueben Johnson (154)- 4 rounds super welterweight

Don’t forget this card also!’

Should be an interesting fight

ldlamb wrote: ↑21 Oct 2023, 14:00 Should be an interesting fight

Genuine 50/50 for me.

ODLH will be hoping Gabriela Fundora wins tonight, one of the most marketable female boxers on the planet and she's only 21. I'm sorely tempted to put some money on her to win, but it could be too much too soon.

Very impressive from Shontime !
He looks like he could make MW too.

under the radar main event - looks like a really good fight on paper, hopefully delivers

the fundoras are the nerdiest looking boxing family i've seen. look tech geeks more than boxers

I've got Sandoval winning this..

skanksta wrote: ↑21 Oct 2023, 21:15 I've got Sandoval winning this..

you need your eyes checked

the sandovals are going at each other

ricardo sandoval head hunting too much, his best shots are to the body

good fight this, they are battling hard for sandoval bragging rights. final round coming up

i didnt score that nor would i want to really

v sandoval busier, but a bit more slappy with his shots. r sandoval less busy but neater looking. punches landed looked about equal. both guys bloodying the other. very very competitive close fight.

97-93x2
96-94

local boy r sandoval gets the benefit of the doubt and wins the ud. good fight.

Sandoval probably deserved at least an SD or draw, but it goes to the home fighter.
Not a robbery at all - just about edged a close fight that coulda gone either way.

nice win for scrappy ramirez, big flurry drops bautista and refs calls it. put the heat on right from the opening and didnt let up. did a much better job on him than jcm did. how about scrappy vs jcm?

Would be a good event, but JCM wins Shirley...

jcm has looked crap recently, barely beat carmona, and bautista who was just destroyed was boxing his head off for long periods. hasnt looked good forever. jcm can bang but ramirez would have faster hands and a lot more compact shots.

he;s lex rocha, not jesus christ superstar. ffs get his arse to the ring