PHOENIX: Alexis 'Lex' Rocha returns to the ring March 30 in a Golden Boy Promotions co-main event against Fredrick Lawson, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the done deal.
It will be Rocha's first fight since his shock loss to Giovanni Santillan at the Kia Forum in Inglewood on October 21.
Prior to that bout, Rocha was on the cusp of a world championship bout at welterweight, having rebounded with seven wins in a row since his first pro loss to Rashidi Ellis.
One of the most highly-regarded fighters by Golden Boy executives, Rocha showed he is ready for co-main and main event spots when he stepped up along with Blair Cobbs to save a show when headliner Vergil Ortiz withdrew in the 11th hour from a March 2022 event at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
With the support of a wildly-pro Rocha crowd, 'Lex' beat Cobbs down and then out in the ninth round.
Other impressive wins prior to the Santillan skid included knockout wins over George Ashie and Anthony Young.
Against Lawson, Rocha is fighting a welterweight with a pro record of 30 wins (22 knockouts) against four losses.
Fight fans saw Lawson most recently at Golden Boy's first event of the year — [Vergil] Ortiz vs. Lawson at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas — on January 6.
Ortiz defeated Lawson in quick fashion, via first round knockout, which many — included this reporter — adjudged to be an early stoppage from the referee Tony Weeks.
A Facebook account attributed to Weeks alleged that aneurysms came up during two of three brain scans Lawson apparently had. This post no longer exists on that platform.
Golden Boy and the Nevada State Athletic Commission both released statements that same day.
A source with direct knowledge of the entire process provided ProBox TV with additional details at the time — one of which alleged there was one MRI scan, one CT scan, and neither showed an aneurysm. The first was "inconclusive." The second was clear.
It is currently unclear where the Rocha-Lawson fight will take place.
Through a source earlier in the month, ProBox TV heard Golden Boy had looked at a Las Vegas site, but had since moved the location to Southern California.
