Alexis Rocha finds comfort in defeat as he prepares for Santiago Dominguez

Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha is eager to prove that getting knocked down only means you should get back up and try harder. Rocha, who was stopped by Giovani Santillan last October, returns to the ring to headline a special edition of Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN this Thursday (July 18) at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, where he will face undefeated Santiago Dominguez in a 12-round main event.

Despite the crushing defeat, Rocha (24-2, 16 KOs) remains optimistic, saying, “I am grateful.” He has stayed active since his defeat to Rashidi Ellis in October 2021, winning seven straight fights before being stopped by Santillan. Rocha rebounded by stopping Fredrick Lawson in March. 

“Everybody trains to win, nobody trains to lose, and especially the fact that I got knocked out – it was very tough,” Rocha said reflecting on his loss.

In his comeback fight, Rocha delivered a motivational speech at the press conference announcing the fight card, drawing inspiration from podcasts and other speakers. 

“The inspiration really has to come deep within you to keep moving forward and hold your head up high,” he said. “I knew that there were going to be brighter days ahead.”

Rocha hopes to inspire young fighters, whether undefeated or not. 

“Boxing is just a way of life and everyone gets knocked down. It is how you pick yourself back up,” Rocha said.

Dominguez (27-0, 20 KOs), 32, from Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, is coming off a split-decision win over Jose Luis Sanchez in October. This fight marks his biggest step-up in competition. 

“Every training camp is always tough,” Rocha admitted. “Every day you learn something new about yourself.”

Rocha, who won gold at the Junior Olympics at 14, aims to showcase his technical skills. 

“I do kill myself sometimes in the gym,” Rocha said. “I have learned to take it down and not go as hard as I did when I was 21, 22, because I am 27 now. Not that I am saying I am that old, but those years of constantly punching the bag, sparring sessions, having wars in the gym, they take a toll on you.”

Reflecting on his career, Rocha acknowledged the impact of age and injuries. 

“You start getting older and you start getting more injuries. The older you get, the injuries start to linger on,” he said.

In this fight, Rocha plans to demonstrate his fight intelligence. 

“Now I know in these stages of my career that everyone is going to be there to take a hard shot,” Rocha said. “They are going to have conditioning. Now I have to tell myself it is time to play smart instead of being aggressive.”