Alexis Rocha

Born on July 7, 1997, in Santa Ana, California, Alexis Rocha is a young man with a boxing pedigree. His older brother, Ronny Rios, is also a professional boxer and a stand-out in his own right, having been the former super bantamweight unified champion. Despite his brother's success, Rocha would not be overshadowed by his legacy. In fact, Rocha is the youngest fighter ever to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics, and he would go on to become a six-time national champion before turning professional in 2016 and joining the Golden Boy promotion, a platform and professional skill set that will likely propel Rocha to become a standout Mexican-American superstar.

Alexis discovered his passion for boxing through his older brother, Rios, who inspired him with his hard work and dedication in the gym, leading to significant weight loss. Alexis lost over 50 pounds in just six months and, like his brother, found his calling in boxing, deciding to pursue it as a career path. The duo would eventually both become full-fledged world title challengers, making them one of the most formidable brother duos in boxing.

Rocha is known for his innate physical strengths that are hard to replicate when preparing for him. What makes Rocha particularly formidable in the ring is his ability to control it, holding the center and maneuvering his opponents toward the ropes, akin to Spartans in a phalanx formation, where he often finishes them with potent left to the body or classic Mexican-American body shots targeting the midsection.

However, he has faced a common setback due to a common mistake among young fighters—keeping his hands down, as evident in his fight with Rashidi Ellis in October of 2020 for the WBC Welter International. Rocha quickly rebounded and climbed back up the welterweight ranks.

Rocha also possesses a remarkable mental game that goes beyond youthful recklessness. He's simply tougher than his competition and is willing to take on the most challenging fights, regardless of how dominant the opponent may be. This stands in contrast to the conventional wisdom in the sport, where taking low-risk fights is often seen as the path to success. Rocha embodies the classical Golden Boy Promotions mindset that focuses on shutting down opponents mentally and exciting the crowd.

As Rocha continues to improve, he has been seen in better shape with each training camp, becoming more physically imposing even when facing fighters several years his senior. Currently situated in the crowded welterweight division, one of the prime divisions in boxing history, Rocha needs the right dance partner to expand his fan base and ascend the ranks, with fighters like Conor Benn potentially on the horizon. Only time will reveal Rocha's future in the sport.