Tag: William Zepeda

William Zepeda mauls Maxi Hughes, stopping the Briton after four rounds

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, “The next champion from Mexico.”

No one who has watched Zepeda fight would take exception to that prognostication.

William Zepeda mauls Maxi Hughes, stopping the Briton after four rounds

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, “The next champion from Mexico.”

No one who has watched Zepeda fight would take exception to that prognostication.

Maxi Hughes on fight vs. William Zepeda: ‘I’m here because of merit’

Maxi Hughes on fight against rising star William Zepeda on Saturday: “I’m here because of merit.”

Sometimes the quality of a fighter’s performance is more important than the result.

That was the case for 135-contender Maxi Hughes last July in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where the Briton lost a disputed majority decision to former champion George Kambosos Jr.

Hughes’ strong effort earned him another big fight, against rising star William Zepeda on Saturday at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (DAZN).

The meeting is being billed as an IBF and WBA title eliminator.

“I’m here because of merit,” Hughes said. “The IBF have ordered me and William to fight, so you know, both of us are here on merit, because we are the best next people in mind going forward.”

Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) is a clever, awkward boxer, as he demonstrated against Kambosos. He’s also persistent.

The 34-year-old southpaw has had his ups but also many downs, including a 3-3 record between 2017 and 2019. The last setback in that stretch was a unanimous decision against then-contender Liam Walsh, which seemed to suggest he had reached his peek.

He hadn’t. He won his next seven fights, including a majority decision over former 126-pound beltholder Kid Galahad in 2022.

That earned him the opportunity to face Kambosos, who was fortunate to have his hand raised. One judge scored it a draw (114-114) but the other two had Kambosos winning (a curious 117-111 and 115-113).

Hughes’ former trainer Gary Lockett believes Hughes will have grown as a fighter as a result of the experience against Kambosos.

“A loss doesn’t always finish you,” he told BoxingScene.com. “He’s had quite a few defeats and he’s come out the back end an even better fighter than he’s ever been.

“Look what he did to the guy. OK, he lost the fight, and everyone can pretend – Kambosos’ people and trainers – he didn’t lose the fight but he lost that fight fair and square, and you could see the look on his face at the end.

“You knew that he’d been bamboozled. Maxi certainly goes into the [Zepeda] fight with a lot more confidence. You’ll see a better Maxi Hughes in this fight than you saw against Kambosos.”

That might be necessary for him to have a chance to win.

Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs) is one of the hottest fighters in the world, a powerful, volume punching machine who overwhelms — and generally stops — his opponents.

The Mexican is around a 9-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets), which is a wide spread.

“You know, William, we’ve watched him, we know what he’s about,” Hughes said. “And we’ve shown him that respect in our preparation. My team down here have put the working day in, day out, and on Saturday night, we’ll get that win and be a step closer to a world title.”

[lawrence-related id=41060,40925]

Maxi Hughes on fight vs. William Zepeda: ‘I’m here because of merit’

Maxi Hughes on fight against rising star William Zepeda on Saturday: “I’m here because of merit.”

Sometimes the quality of a fighter’s performance is more important than the result.

That was the case for 135-contender Maxi Hughes last July in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where the Briton lost a disputed majority decision to former champion George Kambosos Jr.

Hughes’ strong effort earned him another big fight, against rising star William Zepeda on Saturday at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (DAZN).

The meeting is being billed as an IBF and WBA title eliminator.

“I’m here because of merit,” Hughes said. “The IBF have ordered me and William to fight, so you know, both of us are here on merit, because we are the best next people in mind going forward.”

Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) is a clever, awkward boxer, as he demonstrated against Kambosos. He’s also persistent.

The 34-year-old southpaw has had his ups but also many downs, including a 3-3 record between 2017 and 2019. The last setback in that stretch was a unanimous decision against then-contender Liam Walsh, which seemed to suggest he had reached his peek.

He hadn’t. He won his next seven fights, including a majority decision over former 126-pound beltholder Kid Galahad in 2022.

That earned him the opportunity to face Kambosos, who was fortunate to have his hand raised. One judge scored it a draw (114-114) but the other two had Kambosos winning (a curious 117-111 and 115-113).

Hughes’ former trainer Gary Lockett believes Hughes will have grown as a fighter as a result of the experience against Kambosos.

“A loss doesn’t always finish you,” he told BoxingScene.com. “He’s had quite a few defeats and he’s come out the back end an even better fighter than he’s ever been.

“Look what he did to the guy. OK, he lost the fight, and everyone can pretend – Kambosos’ people and trainers – he didn’t lose the fight but he lost that fight fair and square, and you could see the look on his face at the end.

“You knew that he’d been bamboozled. Maxi certainly goes into the [Zepeda] fight with a lot more confidence. You’ll see a better Maxi Hughes in this fight than you saw against Kambosos.”

That might be necessary for him to have a chance to win.

Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs) is one of the hottest fighters in the world, a powerful, volume punching machine who overwhelms — and generally stops — his opponents.

The Mexican is around a 9-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets), which is a wide spread.

“You know, William, we’ve watched him, we know what he’s about,” Hughes said. “And we’ve shown him that respect in our preparation. My team down here have put the working day in, day out, and on Saturday night, we’ll get that win and be a step closer to a world title.”

[lawrence-related id=41060,40925]

Rising star William Zepeda overwhelming opponents, winning over fans

Rising 135-pound star William Zepeda of Mexico is overwhelming opponents and winning over fans.

A number of talented young fighters are in position to become the face of Mexican boxing when Canelo Alvarez fades from the scene. Emanuel Navarrete, Isaac Cruz and Jaime Munguia are just a few of them.

The best candidate might be 135-pound William Zepeda, who is scheduled to face clever Maxi Hughes on Saturday at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (DAZN).

Fans are falling in love with Zepeda’s seek-and-destroy, volume-punching style and he’s getting results, which is why he’s ranked No. 1 by two sanctioning bodies and breathing down the necks of the top lightweights.

The 27-year-old’s style isn’t complicated: He outworks opponents in training camp – he seems to have inexhaustible stamina — and then does the same in the ring, where he has set eye-popping punch statistic records.

In other words, he throws punches relentlessly until his opponents can no longer defend themselves and are stopped or he wins a one-sided decision.

His machine-like effort in a unanimous-decision victory over former titleholder Joseph Diaz Jr. in October 2022 stands out: He threw a division-record 1,536 punches – 128 per round – according to CompuBox.

He has averaged 99.2 punches thrown per round over his last 10 fights, 42.1 more than the division average.

And he doesn’t simply wing power shot after power shot like some volume punchers: 787 of the punches he threw against Diaz were jabs, meaning his approach to boxing is more methodical than reckless.

“There were a lot of comments on social media that thought [Diaz] was my test,” Zepeda said through a translator immediately after his victory. “I think I passed the rest with excellence. I’m ready for the best at 135 pounds.”

That seemed even more obvious in his next two fights, in which his brutal tactics and punching power were on full display

The 27-year-old from the Toluca area used mostly vicious body shots to drop contender Jaime Arboleda three times and stop him in two rounds in April of last year and delivered a terrible beating in his sixth-round stoppage of former title challenger Mercito Gesta in September.

He has been as dominating as any fighter over the past few years.

“I wanted to fight a guy with experience,” said Zepeda, referring to Gesta. “He gave that to me. I’m going to keep going on my way to becoming a world champion.”

The next step for Zepeda is proving he can continue to succeed against next-level opposition.

Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) doesn’t fall into that category but he made a strong statement in his most recent fight, a disputed majority decision loss to former champion George Kambosos Jr. last July.

If Zepeda has his hand raised, next up could be one of the big boys: the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin winner, the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Kambosos winner or Shakur Stevenson, among a few other 135-pounders who are deemed elite.

Only then will we know whether Zepeda can join the exclusive club of Mexican superstars. He and his handlers believe he’s prepared to take the next step.

“We want to fight all the champions who are out there,” said Jay Najar, Zepeda’s trainer. “We’re ready for each and every one of them.”

[lawrence-related id=38937,38931]

Rising star William Zepeda overwhelming opponents, winning over fans

Rising 135-pound star William Zepeda of Mexico is overwhelming opponents and winning over fans.

A number of talented young fighters are in position to become the face of Mexican boxing when Canelo Alvarez fades from the scene. Emanuel Navarrete, Isaac Cruz and Jaime Munguia are just a few of them.

The best candidate might be 135-pound William Zepeda, who is scheduled to face clever Maxi Hughes on Saturday at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (DAZN).

Fans are falling in love with Zepeda’s seek-and-destroy, volume-punching style and he’s getting results, which is why he’s ranked No. 1 by two sanctioning bodies and breathing down the necks of the top lightweights.

The 27-year-old’s style isn’t complicated: He outworks opponents in training camp – he seems to have inexhaustible stamina — and then does the same in the ring, where he has set eye-popping punch statistic records.

In other words, he throws punches relentlessly until his opponents can no longer defend themselves and are stopped or he wins a one-sided decision.

His machine-like effort in a unanimous-decision victory over former titleholder Joseph Diaz Jr. in October 2022 stands out: He threw a division-record 1,536 punches – 128 per round – according to CompuBox.

He has averaged 99.2 punches thrown per round over his last 10 fights, 42.1 more than the division average.

And he doesn’t simply wing power shot after power shot like some volume punchers: 787 of the punches he threw against Diaz were jabs, meaning his approach to boxing is more methodical than reckless.

“There were a lot of comments on social media that thought [Diaz] was my test,” Zepeda said through a translator immediately after his victory. “I think I passed the rest with excellence. I’m ready for the best at 135 pounds.”

That seemed even more obvious in his next two fights, in which his brutal tactics and punching power were on full display

The 27-year-old from the Toluca area used mostly vicious body shots to drop contender Jaime Arboleda three times and stop him in two rounds in April of last year and delivered a terrible beating in his sixth-round stoppage of former title challenger Mercito Gesta in September.

He has been as dominating as any fighter over the past few years.

“I wanted to fight a guy with experience,” said Zepeda, referring to Gesta. “He gave that to me. I’m going to keep going on my way to becoming a world champion.”

The next step for Zepeda is proving he can continue to succeed against next-level opposition.

Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) doesn’t fall into that category but he made a strong statement in his most recent fight, a disputed majority decision loss to former champion George Kambosos Jr. last July.

If Zepeda has his hand raised, next up could be one of the big boys: the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin winner, the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Kambosos winner or Shakur Stevenson, among a few other 135-pounders who are deemed elite.

Only then will we know whether Zepeda can join the exclusive club of Mexican superstars. He and his handlers believe he’s prepared to take the next step.

“We want to fight all the champions who are out there,” said Jay Najar, Zepeda’s trainer. “We’re ready for each and every one of them.”

[lawrence-related id=38937,38931]

Fight Week: Punching machine William Zepeda set to face Maxi Hughes

Fight Week: Punching machine William Zepeda is set to face Maxi Hughes in a 135-pound title eliminator Saturday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

Top 135-pound contender William Zepeda is scheduled to face slick Maxi Hughes in a title eliminator Saturday in Las Vegas.

WILLIAM ZEPEDA (29-0, 25 KOs)
VS. MAXI HUGHES (26-6-2, 5 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 16
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Zepeda 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ***
  • Also on the card: Floyd Schofield vs. Esteuri Suero, lightweights; Marlen Esparza vs. Gabriela Alaniz, flyweights (for Esparza’s WBA, WBC and WBO titles); Victor Morales vs. Luis Reynado Nunez, featherweights
  • Background: Zepeda is hot on the heels of the top 135-pounders after a series of impressive performances. The volume-punching, powerful 27-year-old southpaw from Mexico is coming off his biggest victory, a brutal sixth-round knockout of former top contender Mercito Gesta in September. That followed a near-shutout victory over former 130-pound champ Joseph Diaz in October 2022 and a second-round stoppage over Jaime Arboleda last April. Zepeda threw a division-record 1,536 punches in the Diaz fight, according to CompuBox. He’s ranked in the Top 5 of all major sanctioning bodies, No. 1 by both the WBA and WBC. His fight with Hughes is being billed as a title eliminator for the IBF and WBA. Hughes, a 33-year-old southpaw from the U.K., is a good boxer with limited power. He gave a strong performance against former 135-pound titleholder George Kambosos Jr. in his most recent fight last July, losing a disputed majority decision. That effort evidently earned him a shot at Zepeda. He had won his previous seven fights, including a majority decision over capable Kid Galahad in September 2022.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

  • Radivoje Kalajdzic vs. Sullivan Barrera, light heavyweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
  • Sam Goodman vs. Mark Schleibs, junior featherweights, Wollongong, Australia (no TV in U.S.)

FRIDAY

  • Callum Walsh vs. Dauren Yeleussinov, junior middleweights, New York (UFC Fight Pass)

SATURDAY

  • Nathan Heaney vs. Brad Pauls, middleweights, Birmingham, England (ESPN+)

[lawrence-related id=38937,38931,37098,33752,38164]

Fight Week: Punching machine William Zepeda set to face Maxi Hughes

Fight Week: Punching machine William Zepeda is set to face Maxi Hughes in a 135-pound title eliminator Saturday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

Top 135-pound contender William Zepeda is scheduled to face slick Maxi Hughes in a title eliminator Saturday in Las Vegas.

WILLIAM ZEPEDA (29-0, 25 KOs)
VS. MAXI HUGHES (26-6-2, 5 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, March 16
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: DAZN
  • Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Zepeda 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ***
  • Also on the card: Floyd Schofield vs. Esteuri Suero, lightweights; Marlen Esparza vs. Gabriela Alaniz, flyweights (for Esparza’s WBA, WBC and WBO titles); Victor Morales vs. Luis Reynado Nunez, featherweights
  • Background: Zepeda is hot on the heels of the top 135-pounders after a series of impressive performances. The volume-punching, powerful 27-year-old southpaw from Mexico is coming off his biggest victory, a brutal sixth-round knockout of former top contender Mercito Gesta in September. That followed a near-shutout victory over former 130-pound champ Joseph Diaz in October 2022 and a second-round stoppage over Jaime Arboleda last April. Zepeda threw a division-record 1,536 punches in the Diaz fight, according to CompuBox. He’s ranked in the Top 5 of all major sanctioning bodies, No. 1 by both the WBA and WBC. His fight with Hughes is being billed as a title eliminator for the IBF and WBA. Hughes, a 33-year-old southpaw from the U.K., is a good boxer with limited power. He gave a strong performance against former 135-pound titleholder George Kambosos Jr. in his most recent fight last July, losing a disputed majority decision. That effort evidently earned him a shot at Zepeda. He had won his previous seven fights, including a majority decision over capable Kid Galahad in September 2022.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

  • Radivoje Kalajdzic vs. Sullivan Barrera, light heavyweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)
  • Sam Goodman vs. Mark Schleibs, junior featherweights, Wollongong, Australia (no TV in U.S.)

FRIDAY

  • Callum Walsh vs. Dauren Yeleussinov, junior middleweights, New York (UFC Fight Pass)

SATURDAY

  • Nathan Heaney vs. Brad Pauls, middleweights, Birmingham, England (ESPN+)

[lawrence-related id=38937,38931,37098,33752,38164]

Weekend Review: William Zepeda, Luis Alberto Lopez overwhelm opponents

Weekend Review: William Zepeda and Luis Alberto Lopez overwhelmed their opponents in separate locations over the weekend.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
William Zepeda

It’s easy to understand why fans – particularly those from Zepeda’s native Mexico – are falling in love with him. Everyone adores a take-no-prisoners warrior who throws a crazy amount of punches, all of which are meant to inflict serious harm. That’s what we witnessed in it’s most brutal form on Saturday in California, where the 135-pound contender pummeled a good opponent in veteran Mercito Gesta until the carnage was stopped in the sixth round. The winner connected on 286 of a remarkable 618 punches in the five-plus rounds, according to CompuBox. More striking, 242 of the punches he landed were power shots, which is how he was able to break down a tough foe like Gesta. The formula could take Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs) a long way. Can he beat the likes of 135-pound luminaries Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko? I have my doubts because of their special skill level. At the same time, history tells us that Zepeda’s pressure-fighting approach to the sport might be the style that could give slick technicians problems. Think Floyd Mayweather vs. Jose Luis Castillo. Let’s hope Zepeda gets the opportunity to face that type of opponent soon. He has earned it.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Luis Alberto Lopez

Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) is similar to his countryman Zepeda, a fit, durable bruiser who outworks his opponents. The 126-pound titleholder did that again on Friday in Corpus Christi, Texas, delivering a unanimous-decision victory over determined, but overmatched veteran Joet Gonzalez. Lopez threw 881 punches (landing 195) over the 12 rounds, which is a busy night for almost anyone in the sport. The victory was his third in a row over quality opponents, following a decision over Josh Warrington to win his belt in December and a fifth-round knockout of Michael Conlan in his first defense in May. That’s the kind of run that gets the attention of pundits, fans and prospective opponents. One difference between Lopez and Zepeda? The 126-pound division isn’t nearly as top heavy as 135, meaning the IBF beltholder would have a good chance of beating any of his fellow titleholders – Rey Vargas (WBC), Leigh Wood (WBA) and Robeisy Ramirez (WBO) – and becoming a unified champion. Lopez has come a long way since he was outpointed by Ruben Villa in 2019.

 

BIGGEST LOSERS
Joet Gonzalez and Mercito Gesta

Mercito Gesta got caught in a storm Saturday night. Golden Boy Promotions

Gonzalez (26-4, 15 KOs) and Gesta (34-4-3, 17 KOs) probably will never win their biggest fights – if they get more of them – but you have to respect them. They both gave absolutely everything they had against overwhelming opposition over the weekend, which is all anyone can expect of a fighter. That’s little consolation for Gonzalez, who has now failed in three attempts to win major world titles. The 29-year-old Angeleno has become one of those fighters who is considered capable but not good enough to reach the pinnacle of the sport, a legacy that can haunt a boxer for the remainder of his days. Gesta won his first two fights after a 2½-year layoff, including an encouraging decision over former titleholder Joseph Diaz Jr. in March. However, a brutal knockout loss in his third fight on Saturday put an agonizing end to his momentum. And, at 35, one wonders how many more meaningful opportunities he’ll receive. We might’ve seen the last of the Filipino warrior as an elite fighter.

 

BIGGEST NO-BRAINER
Referee seminars

I spent a day at Jack Reiss’ recent three-day “Sole Arbiter” refereeing seminar in Ventura, California. My main take away? The conference or something like it should be mandatory for anyone who ends up as the third person in the ring, a sentiment expressed by every participant with whom I spoke that day. Reiss, fellow refs Russell Mora and Thomas Taylor, and guest speakers pack an impressive amount of material – power-point slides, video review and more – into 26 hours of instruction, providing both experienced and developing officials with the input they need to become better referees. To be clear: Many referees are good at what they do, particularly in jurisdictions that provide quality training and maintain high standards. However, even those officials can improve. And God knows that some refs are clueless because of a lack of universal standards and questionable selection processes, which is a frightening thought because the lives of the fighters are in their hands. If you want to realize your potential as a referee, find a way to get to “Sole Arbiter.” You’ll be inspired by the instruction and passion of everyone involved. And you’ll leave with more valuable tools than you came with. You owe it to yourself, you owe it to the boxers.

[lawrence-related id=38931,38920,38911]

Weekend Review: William Zepeda, Luis Alberto Lopez overwhelm opponents

Weekend Review: William Zepeda and Luis Alberto Lopez overwhelmed their opponents in separate locations over the weekend.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
William Zepeda

It’s easy to understand why fans – particularly those from Zepeda’s native Mexico – are falling in love with him. Everyone adores a take-no-prisoners warrior who throws a crazy amount of punches, all of which are meant to inflict serious harm. That’s what we witnessed in it’s most brutal form on Saturday in California, where the 135-pound contender pummeled a good opponent in veteran Mercito Gesta until the carnage was stopped in the sixth round. The winner connected on 286 of a remarkable 618 punches in the five-plus rounds, according to CompuBox. More striking, 242 of the punches he landed were power shots, which is how he was able to break down a tough foe like Gesta. The formula could take Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs) a long way. Can he beat the likes of 135-pound luminaries Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko? I have my doubts because of their special skill level. At the same time, history tells us that Zepeda’s pressure-fighting approach to the sport might be the style that could give slick technicians problems. Think Floyd Mayweather vs. Jose Luis Castillo. Let’s hope Zepeda gets the opportunity to face that type of opponent soon. He has earned it.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Luis Alberto Lopez

Lopez (29-2, 16 KOs) is similar to his countryman Zepeda, a fit, durable bruiser who outworks his opponents. The 126-pound titleholder did that again on Friday in Corpus Christi, Texas, delivering a unanimous-decision victory over determined, but overmatched veteran Joet Gonzalez. Lopez threw 881 punches (landing 195) over the 12 rounds, which is a busy night for almost anyone in the sport. The victory was his third in a row over quality opponents, following a decision over Josh Warrington to win his belt in December and a fifth-round knockout of Michael Conlan in his first defense in May. That’s the kind of run that gets the attention of pundits, fans and prospective opponents. One difference between Lopez and Zepeda? The 126-pound division isn’t nearly as top heavy as 135, meaning the IBF beltholder would have a good chance of beating any of his fellow titleholders – Rey Vargas (WBC), Leigh Wood (WBA) and Robeisy Ramirez (WBO) – and becoming a unified champion. Lopez has come a long way since he was outpointed by Ruben Villa in 2019.

 

BIGGEST LOSERS
Joet Gonzalez and Mercito Gesta

Mercito Gesta got caught in a storm Saturday night. Golden Boy Promotions

Gonzalez (26-4, 15 KOs) and Gesta (34-4-3, 17 KOs) probably will never win their biggest fights – if they get more of them – but you have to respect them. They both gave absolutely everything they had against overwhelming opposition over the weekend, which is all anyone can expect of a fighter. That’s little consolation for Gonzalez, who has now failed in three attempts to win major world titles. The 29-year-old Angeleno has become one of those fighters who is considered capable but not good enough to reach the pinnacle of the sport, a legacy that can haunt a boxer for the remainder of his days. Gesta won his first two fights after a 2½-year layoff, including an encouraging decision over former titleholder Joseph Diaz Jr. in March. However, a brutal knockout loss in his third fight on Saturday put an agonizing end to his momentum. And, at 35, one wonders how many more meaningful opportunities he’ll receive. We might’ve seen the last of the Filipino warrior as an elite fighter.

 

BIGGEST NO-BRAINER
Referee seminars

I spent a day at Jack Reiss’ recent three-day “Sole Arbiter” refereeing seminar in Ventura, California. My main take away? The conference or something like it should be mandatory for anyone who ends up as the third person in the ring, a sentiment expressed by every participant with whom I spoke that day. Reiss, fellow refs Russell Mora and Thomas Taylor, and guest speakers pack an impressive amount of material – power-point slides, video review and more – into 26 hours of instruction, providing both experienced and developing officials with the input they need to become better referees. To be clear: Many referees are good at what they do, particularly in jurisdictions that provide quality training and maintain high standards. However, even those officials can improve. And God knows that some refs are clueless because of a lack of universal standards and questionable selection processes, which is a frightening thought because the lives of the fighters are in their hands. If you want to realize your potential as a referee, find a way to get to “Sole Arbiter.” You’ll be inspired by the instruction and passion of everyone involved. And you’ll leave with more valuable tools than you came with. You owe it to yourself, you owe it to the boxers.

[lawrence-related id=38931,38920,38911]