American welterweight contenders Alexis Rocha and Giovani Santillan will face off tomorrow on October 21st at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. Both fighters hail from California, making their upcoming match even more significant as they seek to establish themselves as genuine welterweight contenders.
The two Americans will engage in the toughest matchup of their careers in a high-risk, high-reward fight that may help determine the next viable contender for the undisputed welterweight champion, Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KO’s).
Both Alexis Rocha (23-1, 15 KO’s) and Giovani Santillan (31-0, 16 KO’s) fight in the southpaw stance, further emphasizing the importance of their fight. A potential opportunity to face Crawford is at stake, with Rocha also defending his WBO NABO (North American Boxing Organization) title, while Santillan puts his unbeaten record on the line.
The stakes of their match on Saturday have been raised because both welterweights hail from California, and the venue, Kia Forum, is in their home state. The winner will not only earn local bragging rights but also solidify their position as the best current welterweight from California, a distinction that is nearly as significant as a world title opportunity.
Both Californians have a lot to gain and lose. Alexis Rocha came close to fighting Terence Crawford but missed out when Crawford faced Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 21 KO’s) on July 29th this year, becoming the division’s first undisputed champion of the current four-belt era.
San Diego-born Giovani Santillan, on the other hand, has yet to face such opportunities and is now up against his biggest challenge. Although he has had over thirty fights since his pro debut in 2012, the 31-year-old welterweight has yet to face anyone of repute, either at 147 lbs or the super lightweight division he previously fought in.
With a resume lacking notable opponents, there are questions about how prepared Santillan is to face his fellow Californian, Alexis Rocha.
Rocha, 26, has built up a decent resume and is regarded as the WBO’s #1 welterweight contender. His KO victories over fellow American contenders Anthony Young (24-3, 8 KO’s) and Blair Cobbs (16-1-1, 10 KO’s) would have put him on par with youthful contenders like Vergil Ortiz Jr. (19-0, 19 KO’s), Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KO’s), and Jaron Ennis (31-0, 28 KO’s). However, a loss to another potential world title challenger, Rashidi Ellis (24-1, 15 KO’s), in 2020 has not earned him the same level of esteem as the aforementioned fighters.
A victory over Rocha could finally help Rocha be recognized as a genuine contender, while Santillan would gain recognition from the sanctioning bodies, his peers, and boxing fans with a win over Rocha.
The ‘Battle of California’ is ready to stage this crucial domestic match-up between the two fighters, and if it doesn’t decide the next highest-rated contender in the division, it will certainly elevate the winner to the status of a local hero in California.
