Alexis Rocha was far from satisfied with his performance as he stopped Blair Cobbs in the ninth round.
The 24-year-old American welterweight had said he would be dangerous in the run-up to the fight, and he produced a knockout in the ninth round after setting him up with a brutal overhand left in the eighth round, which kicked off a series of heavy blows that left his opponent in trouble.
However, Rocha was self-critical after earning the win.
“I will give myself a C,” Rocha said after the fight. “I got the knockout, but I know I could’ve done a lot better. He was running around, he was very awkward at first. It was hard for me to adjust.”
“It took me quite a while because I wasn't really listening to my coach. I was getting careless…not [cutting] the ring off and not using my combinations. But I could’ve gotten him out of there a long time ago.”
The defeat gives Rocha a 19-1 win, and adds to his knockout tally, now standing at 13. Cobbs however has now suffered his first defeat, with a 15-1-1 (10 KOs) record.
Asked who he wanted next, Rocha namechecked two Britons - Michael McKinson and Conor Benn.
“Whoever they put in front of me is the person I want,” Rocha said. “I don’t duck anyone. Let’s get it on with McKinson. I know that fight was offered to us. McKinson, Conor Benn in the UK, that would be a great fight.”
As for Cobbs, he acknowledged the ‘tremendous job’ done by his opponent.
“He landed some really good shots, and I couldn’t recover,” he said.