Alexis Rocha Withdraws From Curiel Rematch After Hospitalization

Alexis Rocha withdrew from his welterweight rematch against Raul Curiel after a medical emergency during his weight cut forced hospitalization. The fight was scheduled to headline Golden Boy’s January 16 card at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert. Rocha pulled out ahead of Thursday’s weigh-in, leaving Golden Boy to salvage the event with a replacement opponent for Curiel.

Panthen Steps Up on Short Notice

Jordan Panthen (11-1, 9 KOs) was pulled from a non-televised undercard fight and moved into the DAZN main event. The 10-round fight will take place at a 158-pound catchweight. Panthen weighed 157 pounds at the morning session. Curiel rehydrated and returned to the scale later, weighing 155.8 pounds.

The rematch was set after their December 2024 fight ended in a majority decision for Rocha. One judge scored it even, two gave it to Rocha after twelve rounds of heavy output. The scoring drew enough noise that Golden Boy moved quickly on a second fight. That plan is now scrapped.

Panthen represents a significant drop in competition for Curiel, who is ranked inside the top seven at welterweight by multiple sanctioning organizations. Panthen recently switched to veteran trainer Ronnie Shields but takes this on days’ notice against a fighter preparing for title contention. Frank Espinoza Jr, Curiel’s manager, confirmed the choice was either fight Panthen or pull Curiel from the card entirely.

Curiel still fights, but the promotional value took a hit. Panthen gets exposure, though this is a last-minute opportunity against a higher-level opponent.

Weight-cutting remains a recurring problem at welterweight. Fighters regularly push their bodies to make 147 pounds, and Rocha’s withdrawal is the latest example of the cost. The card streams on DAZN starting at 5:00 p.m. PT, with the first fight at 2:30 p.m. PT. The event proceeds, but the main event has shifted from rematch to showcase