Alexis Rocha and
Raul Curiel will run it back in a rematch on January 16 following their firefight that resulted in a 12-round majority draw last December.
The Ring has learned that the welterweight bout will take place at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, as part of a Golden Boy Promotions show on
DAZN.
Rocha is
The Ring's No. 6-ranked contender at 147 pounds, and the 2016 Mexican Olympian Curiel is right behind him at No. 7.
Rocha (25-2-1, 16 KOs) and Curiel (16-0-1, 14 KOs) were supposed to square off in a sequel earlier this year, but Rocha has been sidelined with ailments.
"The past few months, I have been recovering after sustaining an injury," Rocha wrote on social media on June 21. "It has been extremely difficult to be away from the gym and from boxing."
While Rocha, 28, was recovering from his injuries, Curiel, 29, who's moved on from Freddie Roach and is now coached by 2024 Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia in Southern California,
knocked out Victor Rodriguez in four rounds on June 28.
"Raul and Alexis wanted to fight again, the fans wanted to see the fight again, and so did the promoters," Curiel's manager Frank Espinoza told The Ring. "I’ve given the green light. Raul is on board, and so is Robert. It was a Fight of the Year caliber kind of matchup the first time around, and we're ready to settle the score so that we can set up Raul for a world title shot in 2026. His time to shine is now."
The first fight between Rocha and Curiel was a highly competitive, fan-friendly, and back-and-forth bout that took place in Ontario, California. Two judges scored the contest 114-114, and a third had it 116-112 for Rocha. According to CompuBox, Rocha landed 205 of 818 of his punches, and Curiel connected with 232 of 731 of his shots.
Espinoza told The Ring that Ricardo Ruvalcaba (14-0-1, 10 KOs), a 25-year-old welterweight prospect he manages, should also be featured on the undercard.
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.