The planned rematch between top-10 welterweight contenders Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel has been scrapped after Rocha was hospitalized while cutting weight ahead of Thursday’s weigh-in. According to Curiel’s manager Frank Espinoza, Rocha fell ill on Wednesday and was taken to hospital, forcing his withdrawal from Friday’s main event.
With the bout in jeopardy, organizers spent several hours searching for a replacement before turning to Jordan Panthen. Panthen has agreed to step in on short notice for a 10-round fight at a 158-pound catchweight, which will take place at Acrisure Arena and air live on DAZN.
“Raul and Alexis had a faceoff at the events center on Wednesday around 5 p.m., and then Rocha got sick while he was in the process of cutting weight and went to the hospital,” Espinoza explained. The rematch had been highly anticipated following Rocha and Curiel’s majority draw in their December 2024 firefight.
Rocha (25-2-1, 16 KOs), ranked No. 7 at welterweight by The Ring, did not fight at all in 2025 due to injuries. Curiel (16-0-1, 14 KOs), a 2016 Mexican Olympian ranked eighth, stayed active with a knockout win over Victor Rodriguez in June, keeping his momentum heading into this disrupted fight week.
Panthen (11-1, 9 KOs), nicknamed “The Patriot,” now finds himself with a sudden opportunity on a major stage. The late call-up comes as he looks to rebound after suffering the first loss of his career in July, a majority decision defeat to Farid Ngoga, and gives him a chance to upset a highly ranked contender under the bright lights on Friday night.
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Image Credit: DAZN