California welterweight Alexis “Lex” Rocha (21-1, 13 KOs) will face George “Red Tiger” Ashie (33-5-1, 25 KOs) in a twelve-round clash set for toda (January 28th) at YouTube Theater in Inglewood, CA. Both made the welterweight limit at Friday's weigh-in, with Rocha coming in at 146.4 pounds, just a bit higher than George Ashie's 146. Ashie was born in Accra, Ghana, where he fought in the streets before ever lacing them up in the ring. Growing tired of his fighting nature, George’s mom decided it was time for him turn to boxing to take out his aggression. It wasn’t long before a young Ashie became a 16-year old amateur stand out in Africa, becoming a three-time national champion. 

 

Life in Ghana was tough while trying to rise the ranks in the boxing world. Ashie has two children who he raised as a single father. He continued to use boxing to get his children out of poverty. His dream remains to become a world champion to help his family, his kids and his mom. In his 2003 pro debut, Ashie took a points loss in his pro debut. It would have been easy for him to lay his gloves down, but over his next twenty bouts, Ashie accumulated a record of 17-2-1. Most recently in August, George bested previously undefeated Robert Quaye (then 20-0).