As the countdown continues for the inaugural boxing event at YouTube Theater in Inglewood this Saturday, January 28, Santa Ana’s Alexis “Lex” Rocha (21-1, 13 KOs) hosted a press conference today in Los Angeles ahead of his NABO title defense against George “Red Tiger” Ashie (33-5-1, 25 KOs) of Accra, Ghana. The 12-round main event is presented in association with Star Boxing. Doors to the venue will open at 3:00 p.m. PST, and the worldwide broadcast live on DAZN begins at 5:00 p.m. PST/ 8:00 p.m. EST.
Photo: Golden Boy Promotions / Cris Esqueda
Weights – Alexis Rocha 146.4 vs. George Ashie 146
Floyd Schofield 134.8 vs. Alberto Mercado 134.8
Bektemir Melikuziev 167.6 vs. Ulises Sierra 167.4
Oscar Collazo 104.6 vs. Yudel Reyes 104.2
Alejandro Reyes 139.6 vs. Jose Zaragoza 138.8
Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya, Partner of Golden Boy and Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins, and several of the Rocha vs. Ashie undercard fighters also participated.
This is what the participants had to say:
ALEXIS ROCHA, CURRENT NABO WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“Mentally as a fighter – RIP to Kobe Bryant who passed away three years ago – you have to have that ‘Mamba Mentality.’ You have to be ready for anybody they put in front of you. If it’s you or George Ashie I have to prepare for it. I have to focus on what I can do.”
“Sometimes losses hurt fighters but they can also motivate. They help you mentally. What can I say? Ghanians are tough but I’m Mexican, I’m just as tough. Everyone is always asking what I want after this fight but I can’t take my eyes off of him. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Those are very dangerous fighters. My mind doesn’t go past the 28th. My mind is focused on him. Whoever they put in front of me I have to put on a spectacular show. Keep knocking on that door and the big names will follow.”
GEORGE ASHIE, IBF CONTINENTAL AFRICA SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLEHOLDER
“First of all I want to thank God for this opportunity. I’ve been training everyday for this opportunity. I’m a great fighter from Ghana and I’m going to show that I’m back. I want to prove that to the fans.”
“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions and Star Boxing for this great opportunity. This is going to be Oscar De La Hoya vs. Ike Quartey II and this time it’s going to Ghana not Mexico. It’s going to be a war. I want to thank all the fans in Ghana. I have this opportunity and I’m not going to let it slide out of my hands. These opportunities are life changing and I’m here to stay.”
FLOYD SCHOFIELD, LIGHTWEIGHT PROSPECT:
“I put in the work to put on a show so tune in. This is for me to prove that I’m here to stay. This is my division and I’m going to take over. All I can say is that I’m grateful for the opportunity,”
“It’s going to be a great fight. I want to fight all of them. Anybody who has the belts like Haney, Davis and Ryan. I want all the top names. They’re in my way. They’re just stepping stones. When I see them it’s going to be all business. I’m not going to give away the plan but it’s going to be a good fight.”
ALBERTO MERCADO, LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHTER:
“I’m very happy to be here after not fighting for so many years. I want to thank God. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen this Saturday but I’m going to go off of what he [Floyd] does.”
“I have the experience. I’ve seen this kid. I know he’s talented, he’s young and he’s bringing it all on the table. I got offered this fight back in September and I said yes. I know I have the experience and you’ll see this Saturday.”
BEK MELIKUZIEV, SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT PROSPECT:
“Hello everyone and thank you for coming. For me the priority is this fight, I’m only concentrating on this Saturday and the guy in front of me. If everything goes well I want a rematch with Gabe Rosado.”
“My home is Uzbekistan, but here in the U.S. my home is Indio, CA. It’s amazing there. There are many Mexicans there who like boxing and are very hardworking like us Uzbekistans. I’m looking forward to fighting in Indio, CA. Thank you to everyone, we are ready. Gracias, Mexican Fans. Vamos!”
ULISES SIERRA, SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT PROSPECT:
“I don’t really get too many opportunities on the big stage, so when they offered this I had to hop on. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”
“Bek is very aggressive and I’m expecting him to bring everything. I’ll be there standing tall ready to catch him between shots. Thank you guys for the support. Tune in, it’s going to be a good fight.”
OSCAR COLLAZO, MINIMUMWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I dedicate this fight to all my fans, to all my Puerto Rican fans. I want them to feel proud of me and I want them to know that I have been working very hard to become a world champion. I am going to be a teacher come Saturday.”
YUDEL REYES, MINIMUMWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“I feel very good. Golden Boy offered me this fight. I feel super calm and very prepared for this fight and the preparation we had for this fight. Mexico vs. Puerto Rico have always been great fights.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
“We have started 2023 on an amazing note, with an amazing partner like DAZN, bringing fight fans, especially LA fight fans and throughout California great cards like this one on January 28. We want to present fight fans with the hottest new talent.”
“YouTube Theater is an amazing venue, there is not a bad seat in the house and can seat 5-6,000 people. This card is stacked, we have some tough fights, and we’re committed to the mission to bring fight fans the best entertainment.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS PARTNER AND INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAMER:
“To Alexis and Bek who have a loss on their record: it’s not how you start, it’s how you end it. I started my professional career with a loss. And now I am a Hall of Famer.”
“We put the call out. When the great fights happen, Golden Boy isn’t going to stick their chest out and say ‘see what we did,’ it’s going to be more like ‘see what we said’ – we said that we want to make the best fights happen.”
Rocha vs. Ashie is a 12-round welterweight fight for the NABO Welterweight Title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. Schofield vs. Mercado is a 10-round fight for the vacant WBA International Lightweight Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Davies Entertainment. The fight night will take place on Saturday, January 28, live from YouTube Theater in Inglewood, CA and will be broadcast on DAZN worldwide.
