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Marquis’ Monday QB: Put His Ass In The Dirt Edition

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Marquis’ Monday QB: Put His Ass In The Dirt Edition
Photo By: Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions

This past weekend, Blair Cobbs (13-1) brought together boxing social media as he was stopped in the ninth round by Alexis Rocha (19-1) to close out the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California. But make no mistake on the main event that was airing on DAZN. The boxing world was watching, and let me tell you how they all came together in unison to watch a “33-year old prospect” get broken down from the opening bell.

The celebration on social media for Cobbs losing hasn’t bought this many in Boxing social media together since all the ‘toons came together at the ending of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”. It was that much of a celebration that railed everybody together against the brash and boisterous Cobbs. To everyone’s credit, when did Cobbs start having swords drawn at him? Probably when he was talking the same, WWE Attitude-Era smack when he was 0-0. Now that this is his first loss, he’ll have to regroup and work his way back up the ranks after suffering such a beatdown from Rocha. We all should’ve seen this coming from Rocha, who was on a winning streak now of three since his loss to Rashidi Ellis in October 2020.

The moment we should’ve started the countdown clock like the Royal Rumble on Cobbs was on Thursday when they elevated this to the main event. This is due to the dropout (rhabdomyolysis) of Vergil Ortiz Jr. earlier in the week. We also had gotten why this fight wasn’t signed off on late last year.

“The fight was presented to [Cobbs] last November,” claimed Rocha at the presser. “Obviously, I didn’t fight him. So, what happened?”

Cobbs stated that he didn’t recall seeing fight paperwork.

“I didn’t see any presentation of papers,” Cobbs responded regarding the fight not happening. “I would have looked forward to dishing out another ass whipping. (Ask your coach). Am I the type of person who turns down fights? Somebody who called out [unbeaten welterweight contender Jaron’ Boots’] Ennis, somebody who calls out any and everybody. Does Blair the Flair look like he gives a shit? I don’t think so.”

Then Rocha closed the presser with the line amongst the noise before the fight that caught me.

Photo By: Tom Hogan/Golden Boy

“Look at me, remember this face,” Rocha said, staring thru DAZN presser host Beto Duran into Cobbs. “You’re one fight from the commentating booth. You’re gonna be announcing my fights after this.”

At that moment, all bets were off. Cobbs overlooked who he had to face this weekend in a quest to call out household champions at welterweight. Errol Spence and Terence Crawford, to name a few and trust and believe, were watching,

Boy, they were watching.

Fight Night wouldn’t be any better for Cobbs.

One of Cobbs’s first errors was with his ring entrance. Cobbs was walked into the ring by wrestler Kalisto, known chiefly in the States for being a part of the Lucha House Party in WWE. Long wrasslin’ story short, Cobbs was walked in by someone commonly portrayed on WWE as someone who was usually pinned and lost on TV. Did I expect Ric Flair to lead him in? Honestly, yeah. Not like he’s busy nowadays. Seriously though, sitting from my couch, this looked silly, even for me watching live on DAZN.

Rocha stood in the ring unphased and waiting for this to all end. The “Mayor of Santa Ana” knew that the ass-kicking was happening but had to wait patiently like an ad on YouTube to play before the video started. Once the bell rang, that wait was continued a bit longer. Cobbs in the early going was fluid and moving around. He was also letting his hands go while Rocha was waiting to pick his spot to counter. Made for a fun action fight, Rocha landed near the end of the second round a shot as the bell closed that Cobbs didn’t take very well. His curly, free-flowing locks were swaying in the ring breeze anytime he was hit by Rocha. To his defense or lack thereof that he used in the fight, that would be the visual either way as that was the look Cobbs has sported forever.

What wasn’t forever was this fight. Once the fifth round came around, Rocha was teeing off in close that caught Cobbs and had him on icy legs to finish out the round, and he had a way to go to recover. At this moment, a matter of if, not when Cobbs would fall, was seeping in, and everyone was sensing it.

In the eighth round, they would be treated to a vicious knockdown that saw a battered Cobbs up against the ropes finally crumple violently from a right hand from Rocha. Cobbs got up valiantly and was able to finish the round, but the crowd got louder and knew the end was near.

The Finish and Aftermath

This contest’s ninth and final round would be the end of the line for Cobbs 44 seconds into the fight, but this fight was over before that bell started. In between rounds, while being checked by the ringside doctors, trainer Freddie Roach had threatened to stop the violence as he barked at Cobbs. “You’re getting fucking killed in there” was Roach’s message to his fighter before the ninth round. Cobbs early in the round was backed up against the ropes and once again stunned by that same right hand that sent him down the prior round. Still, before he could be dropped again, referee Rudy Barragan stepped in to stop the fight. Leaving a dazed and out to lunch, Cobbs to land a few body shots that Barragan ate pretty well to end the night.

Photo by: Tom Hogan/Golden Boy Promotions

“I know I got the KO, but he was running around. It was hard to adjust. It took me quite a while,” said Rocha. “I was getting careful. I could have gotten him out of there a long time ago,” turning to the fans to thank them. “Muchissimas gracias! Con Mexicanos no se juega! (You don’t play with Mexicans!”).

No. No, you do not.

Cobbs, in the meantime, took the high road in defeat. Still, he was not looking for any feedback on the internet. He had on Sunday morning shut down the comments in his Instagram account amongst other outlets, as he mentioned earlier about Errol Spence and Terence Crawford. While those two aren’t unified in a fight in the ring just yet, they bonded in the roasting of “The Flair” here as he had mentioned fighting them next had he advanced past Rocha.

Spence enjoyed the broadcast as he referred to Cobbs as Red from the music quartet, Five Heartbeats.

Crawford joined in with a similar sentiment shared on social media following the fight.

This is just another legendary tale of a fighter trying to make a name for himself by talking boastful about what they can do and will do in the ring. Everyone spent the time since tossing caps in the air in celebration of Cobbs’ loss as a way to “silence him.” If history has taught me anything, this won’t keep Cobbs quiet but just a reminder that sometimes you may need to just know your role and shut your mouth.

We’ll see where it goes from here.

You can follow Marquis Johns on Twitter @weaksauceradio .

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