Alexis Rocha produced a career-best performance to humble Blair Cobbs with a ninth-round beatdown

• Alexis Rocha produced the performance of his career as he gave Blair Cobbs a beatdown Saturday.
• Cobbs talked a big game throughout the promotion but Rocha did his talking in the ring.

LOS ANGELES — The matchmaking of Blair Cobbs and Alexis Rocha promised a strong co-main event to Saturday's Golden Boy Promotions card at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, when it was confirmed earlier this month.

But when knockout puncher Vergil Ortiz Jr. was taken to hospital for an overnight stay Monday, the welterweights were pushed into the headlining slot.

They had talked a good game throughout March, particularly Cobbs — who consistently tells fans and media that he's a great one.

Rocha, quieter but not shy of confidence, told Insider this week that he'll instead do his talking in the boxing ring.

But, really, Rocha wasn't just talking — he was screaming, and fighting, his ass off.

In Ortiz's absence there was tremendous pressure on Rocha, and/or Cobbs to show that they belonged on the big show.

Neither disappointed. Cobbs was his all-charisma in the build-up. But in the fight, it was Rocha's night as the Santa Ana fighter produced the performance of his lifetime, electrifying the California crowd.

Rocha took control of the fight in the second quarter of the 10-round bout. He let his fists go with greater venom, cracking Cobbs' skull with shots that rocked his head back in the final seconds of the third.

In the fifth, a straight left hand that Cobbs never saw coming landed so accurately and so powerfully that it knocked all of the sweat off of his face, which Rocha took as an invitation to leather his opponent with a combination of punches hurled from all angles.

Rocha banked round after round and it always looked like he had another level to go. He could sense Cobbs was there for the taking.

In the eighth, another heavy left hand sent Cobbs into the corner. Rocha, to his credit, never took a moment to admire his handiwork, and instead sent follow-up blow after follow-up blow until Cobbs wilted.

See the eighth-round knockdown right here:

There were body shots, headshots, and all of Cobbs' dipping and ducking was rendered almost pointless as Rocha seemed hellbent on sending him packing.

And he sent him packing in the ninth as the referee had seen enough, awarding Rocha the knockout victory he deserved.

With a statement-making beatdown, Rocha advanced his pro boxing record to 19 wins (13 knockouts) against one defeat.

Cobbs suffered the first defeat of his career, and saw his record fall to 15 wins (10 knockouts) against one loss and one draw.

Watch the full highlights right here: