Jose Zepeda will transfer on to struggle one other day.
Ivan Redkach, however, has a tough option to make.
Zepeda stopped Redkach within the second spherical of a battle between former title challengers. Redkach was floored 3 times because the struggle was stopped at 2:02 of spherical two Friday evening on the Pechanga Resort and On line casino in Temecula, California.
“I skilled actually arduous for the struggle and I used to be assured in my conditioning,” stated Zepeda after the struggle. “I throw a variety of punches, in comparison with different fighters.”
The DAZN-aired welterweight struggle noticed Zepeda—from close by Baldwin Park—bounce out to a robust begin. A left hand to the physique dropped Redkach to the canvas. Redkach barely beat the depend, however was sport the remainder of the spherical. The Ukrainian southpaw fought again and landed a number of left palms upstairs.
His good fortunes ended there.
Zepeda stalked Redkach early in spherical two. Redkach was damage by a straight left to the midsection greater than a minute into the spherical. He was pressured right into a nook however tried to struggle again. Zepeda linked with one other physique shot to supply the bout’s second knockdown.
Redkach beat the depend, however wasn’t as lucky within the follow-up assault. Zepeda swarmed with a barrage of punches to flooring Redkach for a 3rd time. Referee Rudy Barragan noticed sufficient and stopped the struggle.
The win over Redkach occurred over 5 months after Zepeda misplaced by knockout to unbeaten prospect Dalton Smith. Previous to the loss to Smith, Zepeda misplaced a one-sided choice to contender Richardson Hitchins final September 23 in Orlando, Florida.
Each fights occurred at junior welterweight. Friday’s win was Zepeda’s second as a real welterweight.
“I undoubtedly felt stronger, now that I’m at 147 kilos,” insisted Zepeda. “I wished to indicate myself that I’m nonetheless capable of do it.”
The 35-year-old confronted Regis Prograis for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title in November 2022. Prograis knocked him out within the eleventh spherical.
At his greatest, Zepeda was universally hailed for his all-out slugfest with Ivan Baranchyk. Their brutal Oct. 2020 battle noticed a complete of eight knockdowns earlier than Zepeda would win by way of fifth spherical knockout. It was hailed as The Ring’s 2020 Battle of the 12 months.
Zepeda additionally got here up quick versus then-WBC 140-pound titlist Jose Ramirez in 2019 and then-WBO 135-pound beltholder Terry Flanagan. Each titlists have been unbeaten on the time.
Los Angeles’ Redkach (24-8-1, 19 KOs) has now misplaced 4 of his final 5 contests. He was stopped within the fifth spherical by Batyrzhan Jukembayev on Might 22 in Plant Metropolis, Florida. The opposite losses throughout his present free-fall got here versus Prograis and former two-division champ Danny Garcia.
UNDERCARD RESULTS
Within the co-feature, unbeaten prospect Nathan Rodriguez of Pico Rivera, California dropped Bryan Mercado as soon as en path to a one-sided choice victory.
Scores have been 80-71, 80-71 and 79-72 for Rodriguez, who improved to 16-0, 10 KOs.
Mercado was sport, however Rodriguez was the more-effective fighter all through a lot of the struggle. Rodriguez labored behind a constant jab, adopted up by a proper hand-left hook mixture or different variation of two or three-punch mixtures.
Because the struggle progressed, Rodriguez break up the guard of the southpaw Mercado, connecting with uppercuts or extra left hooks to the top. Rodriguez was capable of focus his assault to the physique after closing the gap between the 2.
Mercado discovered success in spherical seven. It was short-lived as was countered by the 20-year-old Rodriguez. A couple of minute left in spherical eight, Rodriguez landed a left hook to the top. Moments later, Rodriguez linked with one other left hook to the top, dropping Mercado to the canvas. Mercado beat the depend, however the bell had sounded to finish the spherical.
Rodriguez was coming off a knockout win over Jose Saant in his earlier struggle on June 28. He’s the son of Marv Rodriguez, who promoted Friday’s card.
Mercado, who resides in Quito, Ecuador, fell to 11-6-1, 6 KOs.
Welterweight Miguel Gaona of El Sereno, California improved to 5-0, 4 KOs, dropping Mexico Metropolis’s Daniel Evangelista (21-19-2, 17 KOs) twice, each from a barrage of punches to the physique, en path to a first-round knockout victory. Referee Ray Armendariz counted Evangelista out at 1:17.
Featherweight Santos Ortega of Sacramento, California outboxed Jose Saant (15-6-1, 7 KOs) over six rounds, successful by choice. All three judges scored the bout 60-54, who goes to 9-0, 3 KOs.
Saant, who’s initially from Gualaquiza, Ecuador and now resides in Medford, New York, has now misplaced 5 of his final six bouts.
In junior featherweight motion, 20-year-old Oscar Ochoa of El Monte, California was profitable in his professional debut, defeating Rod Sarguilla (2-7, 1 KO) of the Philippines by unanimous choice. Scores have been 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37 for Ochoa.
Within the opening bout of the MarvNation Promotions card, junior welterweight Jaime Cuesta of San Diego defeated Jenel Lausa (11-5-1, 7 KOs) of the Philippines by unanimous choice. All three judges scored the bout 59-54 for Cuesta, who improved to 10-0, 3 KOs.
Lausa has some extent deducted in spherical six for holding.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has coated boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He may be reached at [email protected]
Observe @FSalazarBoxing
