WOLVERHAMPTON — Conah Walker will face Alexis Rocha on 5 December in Wolverhampton, England, in an official eliminator for the WBA welterweight title currently held by Teofimo Lopez. The bout was announced Friday and will see Walker headline in his hometown.
Walker, 18-3-1 (9 KOs), most recently produced a 10th-round stoppage against Sam Eggington in May. Reports had linked the Wolverhampton man with a US debut against a former WBO welterweight titleholder, but he will instead return home to meet Rocha. "I'm back headlining in Wolverhampton in front of my people," said Walker in a press release issued by Matchroom Boxing. "They aren’t fans, they are friends and family and I’ll give them another night to remember. From the first bell you know what I bring and this fight won’t be any different. I want to do a right job on Rocha. I'm enjoying every minute of my career and a big win on December 5 puts me one step closer to winning a world title. Let's have it."
Rocha, 27-2-1 (16 KOs), travels to the UK as the Mexican-American contender chasing a world title opportunity. He defeated former unified 140lbs world champion Jose Carlos Ramirez last month following a victory over former 130lbs titleholder JoJo Diaz in March. "I don’t know too much about Conah Walker yet, but I’ve watched some videos of him, and he looks like a strong fighter who likes to come forward," said Rocha. "I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with him and putting on a great show. This is another important step in chasing my dream. I know that a win on December 5 will bring me one step closer to earning a world title opportunity and that’s why I’m working hard every day."
The contest is sanctioned as an official eliminator for Lopez's WBA welterweight title, with the winner moving into mandatory contention. For Walker, victory in front of his home crowd would extend his momentum after the Eggington stoppage, while Rocha is seeking to build on back-to-back wins over former world champions to secure his first world title shot.