Dalton Smith took a significant step forward with a knockout of Jose Zepeda on Saturday in England
Dalton Smith took a significant step in his career Saturday in Sheffield, England, his hometown.
The 140-pounder stopped three-time title challenger Jose Zepeda with a right to the body in the fifth round, moving him closer to legitimate title contention.
“A lot of people thought this fight was too soon for me,” said Smith (16-0, 12 KOs). “That made me train harder, and I showed where I belong tonight. I was hitting him with some clean shots. He walked on to an uppercut, and then I knew I could hurt him.”
Dalton Smith ššššš Jose Zepeda Inside 5 Rounds! šØ š„
Smith hurt Zepeda (37-5, 28 KOs) with a right uppercut and followed with the right hand to the gut about a minute into Round 5, forcing ZepedaĀ to take a knee in pain.
The American was counted out in that position, giving Smith his biggest victory. The official time of the stoppage was 1:25.
The 27-year-old will have to wait in line to face the big names at junior welterweight. For now, he has his eye on unbeaten countryman Adam Azim, who is the European champion.
“I don’t call many names out but Adim Azim, where are you at?” he said. “I bet he vacates that title. I respect him, but the European title is something I want.”
Meanwhile, Zepeda’s days as an elite fighter fight me be over. The 34-year-old from the Los Angeles area has now lost three of his past four fights, to Regis Prograis, Richardson Hitchins and now Smith.
ESPN is reporting that Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are near a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card.
The new capital of heavyweight boxing is about to deliver two more fights featuring prominent big men.
ESPN is reporting that former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are nearing a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Also, heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are close to an agreement to meet on the same show.
Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) will be trying to reestablish himself as a top heavyweight after losing three of his last four fights, two knockouts against Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 and a one-sided decision against Joseph Parker in December.
The 38-year-old American’s only victory since 2019 was a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius in 2022.
Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) built considerable momentum by stopping Joe Joyce twice last year but the 40-year-old from China crashed back to earth against Parker in March, losing a majority decision even though he decked Parker twice.
Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist from Croatia. His biggest victory was a unanimous decision over Zhang in 2022.
Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) nearly pulled off a huge upset when he floored titleholder Oleksandr Usyk with a body shot in August. However, the punch was ruled a low blow, Usyk was given time to recover and the champ stopped Dubois in the ninth round.
Dubois bounced back by stopping Jarrell Miller in the 10th round in December.
Bivol vs. Beterbiev, for the undisputed 175-pound championship, is one of the most anticipated fights in the sport.
Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is best known for defeating Canelo Alvarez in 2022 but he has a long track record of dominating top contenders. Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) also has overwhelmed opponents, none of whom have reached the final bell.
ESPN is reporting that Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are near a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card.
The new capital of heavyweight boxing is about to deliver two more fights featuring prominent big men.
ESPN is reporting that former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang are nearing a deal to fight one another on the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev card June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Also, heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are close to an agreement to meet on the same show.
Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) will be trying to reestablish himself as a top heavyweight after losing three of his last four fights, two knockouts against Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021 and a one-sided decision against Joseph Parker in December.
The 38-year-old American’s only victory since 2019 was a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius in 2022.
Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) built considerable momentum by stopping Joe Joyce twice last year but the 40-year-old from China crashed back to earth against Parker in March, losing a majority decision even though he decked Parker twice.
Hrgovic (17-0, 14 KOs) is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist from Croatia. His biggest victory was a unanimous decision over Zhang in 2022.
Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs) nearly pulled off a huge upset when he floored titleholder Oleksandr Usyk with a body shot in August. However, the punch was ruled a low blow, Usyk was given time to recover and the champ stopped Dubois in the ninth round.
Dubois bounced back by stopping Jarrell Miller in the 10th round in December.
Bivol vs. Beterbiev, for the undisputed 175-pound championship, is one of the most anticipated fights in the sport.
Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is best known for defeating Canelo Alvarez in 2022 but he has a long track record of dominating top contenders. Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) also has overwhelmed opponents, none of whom have reached the final bell.
Tim Tszyu said he’s unfazed by the transition from original opponent Keith Thurman to new foe Sebastian Fundora for March 30.
Tim Tszyu is making the necessary adjustments for a new, unusual opponent.
The 154-pound titleholder from Australia was supposed to have fought former 147-pound champ Keith Thurman on pay-per-view March 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
However, he had to pivot to replacement opponent Sebastian Fundora after Thurman pulled out with a biceps injury less than two weeks before the fight, in which Tszyu’s WBO belt and the vacant WBC title will be on the line.
Thurman and Fundora are radically different fighters.
The former is a 5-foot-7 35-year-old who has fought once in almost five years and has a stick-and-move style. The latter is a hungry 26-year-old who is about as tall as Anthony Joshua — 6-foot-5Ā½ — and fights aggressively in spite of his dimensions.
Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) didn’t seem to be fazed by the change when he spoke to reporters at a media event in Las Vegas.
“I had sparring for the new opponent come in on Monday, and I was grateful for the great work they gave me,” said Tszyu, who is 5-9. “This fight is all about awkwardness when you have someone that tall. But nothing fazes me. It is what it is, and the show goes on. …
āIāve met Fundora before and I respect him and how he fights. I just have to find the right shots. Every great boxer finds the way to win, and weāll find those keys on March 30.”
Tszyu and Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) are both coming off fights against Brian Mendoza, with contrasting results.
Mendoza stunned Fundora by stopping him in the seventh round of a fight he was losing in April of last year. Six months later, Tszyu easily outpointed Mendoza in his first defense of his WBO belt.
Tszyu said the Fundora-Mendoza will serve as a lesson for him. And he seemed to imply that the result of his fight against Fundora could be the same.
āI talked to Brian Mendoza and he talked about how Fundora is awkward with his style and that he uses his height to his advantage in different ways,” Tszyu said.
He then added: āMy message to the fans is definitely donāt blink during this one.ā
Meanwhile, Fundora doesn’t believe that the Mendoza fights will mean much on March 30.
The Southern California fighter had a big lead over Mendoza on the official scorecards after six rounds, 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55. He simply got caught by a big punch and was counted out.
Fundora had been scheduled to face Serhii Bohachuk on the March 30 card when Thurman was injured.
“I was in control of the Mendoza fight, so I donāt want to change too much because of the result,” he said. “And it doesnāt really matter to me what he did against Tszyu. Iām just going to keep focusing on my game.
āIāve been training hard all camp. We only had a little bit to fix after our last fight, but my dad and my sister keep my mind straight. My sister Gabriela just became world champion, and now itās my turn to go do the same.”
Fundora hasn’t had to make significant changes in his training because Bohachuk’s style is similar to that of Tszyu.
However, he doesn’t believe that will be a significant advantage for him. He knows he must be at the top of his game to become a major beltholder for the first time.
āHaving the right preparation is very important, of course,” he said. “But I donāt think itās really an advantage that I was preparing for someone similar to Tszyu already. Itās about what happens when you step into the ring.
“Of course, I believe Iām going to win this fight, but not because of an advantage like that. I want to win this fight, become unified champion and keep going from there. We want to keep moving up.ā
Tim Tszyu said he’s unfazed by the transition from original opponent Keith Thurman to new foe Sebastian Fundora for March 30.
Tim Tszyu is making the necessary adjustments for a new, unusual opponent.
The 154-pound titleholder from Australia was supposed to have fought former 147-pound champ Keith Thurman on pay-per-view March 30 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
However, he had to pivot to replacement opponent Sebastian Fundora after Thurman pulled out with a biceps injury less than two weeks before the fight, in which Tszyu’s WBO belt and the vacant WBC title will be on the line.
Thurman and Fundora are radically different fighters.
The former is a 5-foot-7 35-year-old who has fought once in almost five years and has a stick-and-move style. The latter is a hungry 26-year-old who is about as tall as Anthony Joshua — 6-foot-5Ā½ — and fights aggressively in spite of his dimensions.
Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) didn’t seem to be fazed by the change when he spoke to reporters at a media event in Las Vegas.
“I had sparring for the new opponent come in on Monday, and I was grateful for the great work they gave me,” said Tszyu, who is 5-9. “This fight is all about awkwardness when you have someone that tall. But nothing fazes me. It is what it is, and the show goes on. …
āIāve met Fundora before and I respect him and how he fights. I just have to find the right shots. Every great boxer finds the way to win, and weāll find those keys on March 30.”
Tszyu and Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) are both coming off fights against Brian Mendoza, with contrasting results.
Mendoza stunned Fundora by stopping him in the seventh round of a fight he was losing in April of last year. Six months later, Tszyu easily outpointed Mendoza in his first defense of his WBO belt.
Tszyu said the Fundora-Mendoza will serve as a lesson for him. And he seemed to imply that the result of his fight against Fundora could be the same.
āI talked to Brian Mendoza and he talked about how Fundora is awkward with his style and that he uses his height to his advantage in different ways,” Tszyu said.
He then added: āMy message to the fans is definitely donāt blink during this one.ā
Meanwhile, Fundora doesn’t believe that the Mendoza fights will mean much on March 30.
The Southern California fighter had a big lead over Mendoza on the official scorecards after six rounds, 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55. He simply got caught by a big punch and was counted out.
Fundora had been scheduled to face Serhii Bohachuk on the March 30 card when Thurman was injured.
“I was in control of the Mendoza fight, so I donāt want to change too much because of the result,” he said. “And it doesnāt really matter to me what he did against Tszyu. Iām just going to keep focusing on my game.
āIāve been training hard all camp. We only had a little bit to fix after our last fight, but my dad and my sister keep my mind straight. My sister Gabriela just became world champion, and now itās my turn to go do the same.”
Fundora hasn’t had to make significant changes in his training because Bohachuk’s style is similar to that of Tszyu.
However, he doesn’t believe that will be a significant advantage for him. He knows he must be at the top of his game to become a major beltholder for the first time.
āHaving the right preparation is very important, of course,” he said. “But I donāt think itās really an advantage that I was preparing for someone similar to Tszyu already. Itās about what happens when you step into the ring.
“Of course, I believe Iām going to win this fight, but not because of an advantage like that. I want to win this fight, become unified champion and keep going from there. We want to keep moving up.ā
Canelo Alvarez is pleased to face Jaime Munguia in an all-Mexican main event on May 4 in Las Vegas.
Canelo Alvarez has faced only one fellow Mexican over the past decade, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He didn’t seem to be interested in fighting his countrymen.
The undisputed 168-pound champion made the decision to take on Jaime Munguia on pay-per-view this coming May 4 but, it seems, only by default.
Still, Alvarez seemed pleased Tuesday at a Los Angeles news conference that he and his opponent will be presenting an all-Mexican main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
āThis fight is a great source of pride for me, because itās all about Mexico,” Alvarez said. “Iām proud to have my country featured this way in front of the whole world. The fans are going to be the biggest winners on May 4, and we invite everyone to whatās gonna be a big party for Mexico.”
Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) appeared to be set to fight 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo on Cinco de Mayo weekend. However, they couldn’t agree to terms in the end.
And the champion doesn’t seem to be interested in facing top contender David Benavidez, at least not yet. That left Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) as his best option.
Munguia, a former 154-pound beltholder, had built his record against second-tier opponents until he outpointing Sergey Derevyanchenko in June of last year and stopped John Ryder under new trainer Freddie Roach this past January.
Those break-through victories led him to the pinnacle of 168-pound division and made him a legitimate opponent for anyone, including Alvarez.
Alvarez is coming off one of his strongest performances over the past few years, a one-sided decision over the smaller Jermell Charlo in September.
āJaime Munguia is a respectful person and a great fighter whoās earned this fight again and again,” Alvarez said. “Everyone will see how great this fight is for Mexico on May 4. Munguia is a disciplined fighter who hits hard. Heās a power puncher, and I like a challenge.
“I want to face fighters who are hungry like I am. Heās a fighter who can give the fans the show they deserve.”
Meanwhile, Munguia couldn’t be happier about being in the right place at the right time to get the fight.
Alvarez, 33, was his 27-year-old opponent’s role model as the latter was making a name for himself. Now Munguia will do battle with arguably the biggest star in the sport.
āCanelo has always been a source of pride and motivation for me,” Munguia said. “I used to say when I was coming up in the sport that I want to be like him, and now we get a chance to face him and hopefully be where he is soon.”
And he cautioned those who doubt him. He insists he’s prepared for the biggest challenge of his life.
āWeāre ready for this stage,” he said. “Weāre ready for everything and weāre going to have a great fight that night. Weāre very confident. This is just the beginning of the best part of my career.
“Iāve done a lot in my career so far, but I believe Iām just reaching my peak now.”
Canelo Alvarez is pleased to face Jaime Munguia in an all-Mexican main event on May 4 in Las Vegas.
Canelo Alvarez has faced only one fellow Mexican over the past decade, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He didn’t seem to be interested in fighting his countrymen.
The undisputed 168-pound champion made the decision to take on Jaime Munguia on pay-per-view this coming May 4 but, it seems, only by default.
Still, Alvarez seemed pleased Tuesday at a Los Angeles news conference that he and his opponent will be presenting an all-Mexican main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
āThis fight is a great source of pride for me, because itās all about Mexico,” Alvarez said. “Iām proud to have my country featured this way in front of the whole world. The fans are going to be the biggest winners on May 4, and we invite everyone to whatās gonna be a big party for Mexico.”
Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) appeared to be set to fight 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo on Cinco de Mayo weekend. However, they couldn’t agree to terms in the end.
And the champion doesn’t seem to be interested in facing top contender David Benavidez, at least not yet. That left Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) as his best option.
Munguia, a former 154-pound beltholder, had built his record against second-tier opponents until he outpointing Sergey Derevyanchenko in June of last year and stopped John Ryder under new trainer Freddie Roach this past January.
Those break-through victories led him to the pinnacle of 168-pound division and made him a legitimate opponent for anyone, including Alvarez.
Alvarez is coming off one of his strongest performances over the past few years, a one-sided decision over the smaller Jermell Charlo in September.
āJaime Munguia is a respectful person and a great fighter whoās earned this fight again and again,” Alvarez said. “Everyone will see how great this fight is for Mexico on May 4. Munguia is a disciplined fighter who hits hard. Heās a power puncher, and I like a challenge.
“I want to face fighters who are hungry like I am. Heās a fighter who can give the fans the show they deserve.”
Meanwhile, Munguia couldn’t be happier about being in the right place at the right time to get the fight.
Alvarez, 33, was his 27-year-old opponent’s role model as the latter was making a name for himself. Now Munguia will do battle with arguably the biggest star in the sport.
āCanelo has always been a source of pride and motivation for me,” Munguia said. “I used to say when I was coming up in the sport that I want to be like him, and now we get a chance to face him and hopefully be where he is soon.”
And he cautioned those who doubt him. He insists he’s prepared for the biggest challenge of his life.
āWeāre ready for this stage,” he said. “Weāre ready for everything and weāre going to have a great fight that night. Weāre very confident. This is just the beginning of the best part of my career.
“Iāve done a lot in my career so far, but I believe Iām just reaching my peak now.”
Odds: Smith 2Ā½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ***
Also on the card: Sandy Ryan vs. Terri Harper, welterweights (for Ryanās WBO title); Campbell Hatton vs. James Flint, junior welterweights; Ishmael Davis vs. Troy Williamson, junior middleweights
Background:Ā Smith, who holds the British 140-pound championship, has made his mark on the national and European level. Now itās time to take on the world. That starts with a fight against three-time world title challenger Zepeda in Smithās hometown of Sheffield. Smith, 27, is a well-schooled boxer-puncher. His power was on full display in his most recent bout, in which he overcame multiple cuts to knock out Londoner Sam Maxwell with a single right hand in the seventh round last July. That victory followed unanimous decisions over Kaisee Benjamin and Billy Allington in 2022 and early last year. Smith is ranked No. 12 by the WBC. Zepeda, 34, canāt afford to lose if he hopes to remain a relevant fighter. The Los Angeles-area fighter has had his share of success ā including victories over Ivan Baranchyk, Jose Pedraza and Hank Lundy ā but heās 1-2 in his last three fights and has failed in three attempts to capture a world title. He had bad luck in his first try, when he dislocated his shoulder and had to quit after two rounds against then-champion Terry Flanagan in 2015. He came closest to winning one when he lost a majority decision to then-titlist Jose Ramirez in 2019. Then, in November 2022, he was stopped in 11 rounds by Regis Prograis. He was nearly shut out by Richardson Hitchins last September, raising questions about his future as an elite boxer.
Odds: Smith 2Ā½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Significance (up to five stars): ***
Also on the card: Sandy Ryan vs. Terri Harper, welterweights (for Ryanās WBO title); Campbell Hatton vs. James Flint, junior welterweights; Ishmael Davis vs. Troy Williamson, junior middleweights
Background:Ā Smith, who holds the British 140-pound championship, has made his mark on the national and European level. Now itās time to take on the world. That starts with a fight against three-time world title challenger Zepeda in Smithās hometown of Sheffield. Smith, 27, is a well-schooled boxer-puncher. His power was on full display in his most recent bout, in which he overcame multiple cuts to knock out Londoner Sam Maxwell with a single right hand in the seventh round last July. That victory followed unanimous decisions over Kaisee Benjamin and Billy Allington in 2022 and early last year. Smith is ranked No. 12 by the WBC. Zepeda, 34, canāt afford to lose if he hopes to remain a relevant fighter. The Los Angeles-area fighter has had his share of success ā including victories over Ivan Baranchyk, Jose Pedraza and Hank Lundy ā but heās 1-2 in his last three fights and has failed in three attempts to capture a world title. He had bad luck in his first try, when he dislocated his shoulder and had to quit after two rounds against then-champion Terry Flanagan in 2015. He came closest to winning one when he lost a majority decision to then-titlist Jose Ramirez in 2019. Then, in November 2022, he was stopped in 11 rounds by Regis Prograis. He was nearly shut out by Richardson Hitchins last September, raising questions about his future as an elite boxer.
William Zepeda mauled Maxi Hughs, stopping the Briton after four rounds
Another fight, another William Zepeda beat down.
The unbeaten 135-pound contender pounded overmatched Maxi Hughes relentlessly until the Briton’s cornermen finally stopped the fight after four rounds of a two-sanctioning body title eliminator Saturday at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Zepeda (30-0, 26 KOs) and Hughes (26-7-2, 5 KOs) fought on roughly even terms in the first round but it was all Zepeda after that.
The volume-punching southpaw from Mexico didn’t allow his overmatched opponent room to breathe, throwing 408 punches (102 per round) — many of them to the body — in the four rounds.
And Hughes could do nothing to stop him, at least in part because he didn’t have the punching power to turn the tide.
Hughes began to wilt as early as Round 2 and continued to take brutal punishment until the final moments of Round 4, after which his handlers knew he was finished.
“Thirty different camps, 30 different wins,” Zepeda said afterward. “All I can do is thank my camp, thank everybody. And let’s keep it going.”
Zepeda is ranked No. 1 by the WBA and WBC, whose champions are Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson. His victory on Saturday solidifies his position as mandatory challenger in both organizations.
Meanwhile, Vasiliy Lomachenko will face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF title on May 12. Zepeda is ranked No. 6 by the IBF.
Davis, Stevenson and Lomachenko are three of the most talented fighters today. However, Zepeda appears to be more and more of a threat to anyone every time he fights.
He knows what it would take to succeed against fighters like that.
“We know whoever is ahead of us, they have a lot of experience. We just have to keep working,” he said. “… I’m ready for Shakur, for Gervonta, I’m ready for whoever is on that list.”
And he served up a bold prediction, describing himself as, “TheĀ next champion from Mexico.”
No one who has watched Zepeda fight would take exception to that prognostication.
