William Zepeda didn’t waste any time along with his assigned activity or in narrowing down his subsequent acknowledged goal.
The highest-rated light-weight contender effortlessly solved the artful Giovanni Cabrera, whom he knocked out within the third spherical. One other physique punching show in the end did the trick, as Cabrera took the complete ten depend at 1:58 of spherical three Saturday at Toyota Area in Ontario, California.
The DAZN-aired light-weight bout was means to maintain Zepeda lively as he awaits a protracted overdue title shot. With the win, he has now issued the marching orders to his workforce.
“Let’s go after the Ukrainian,” Zepeda informed DAZN’s Chris Mannix by way of translator and head coach Jacob ‘Panda’ Najar. “I wish to combat WBO champion Denys Berinchyk subsequent.”
The combat will probably be simple to implement; Zepeda (31-0, 27 knockouts) is the number-one ranked light-weight amongst all 4 main sanctioning our bodies. He’s The Ring’s No. 3-rated light-weight, solely behind WBA titlist Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) and IBF titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs).
Berinchyk (19-0. 9 KOs), No. 5 at 135, defeated Emanuel Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) through twelve-round resolution to win the title on Could 18 in San Diego.
Nonetheless, there was a combat to win earlier than he may transfer on to the title image.
Cabrera (22-2, 7 KOs) got here to do what he does greatest—trigger suits for his opponents. The Chicago-bred southpaw managed to outthrow the usually high-volume Zepeda within the opening spherical. The accuracy wasn’t fairly there, although Cabrera landed a few good left palms.
Zepeda was nonetheless the extra correct puncher and rapidly tailored to Cabrera’s awkward model.
A vicious physique punching show turned the tide in spherical two for the 28-year-old southpaw from San Mateo Atenco, Mexico. The strategy was not dissimilar to how Zepeda was in a position to break down and cease England’s Maxi Hughes after 4 rounds of their March 16 WBA/IBF title eliminator. Cabrera supplied barely extra resistant throughout these moments—till he couldn’t.
Zepeda dialed up the strain in spherical three. Cabrera was on the defensive as Zepeda continued to throw and land downstairs. A follow-up two-punch mixture upstairs completed the job as Cabrera was compelled to a knee.
“Each time I touched him, I knew I damage him,” insisted Zepeda. “Each time I landed he took a step again. I knew it was only a matter of time earlier than I completed him.
Referee Thomas Taylor reached ten simply as Cabrera halfheartedly tried to beat the depend.
“I felt superior within the first spherical. I assumed I used to be stronger than him and I did really feel stronger than him,” stated Cabrera. “I assumed I used to be hurting him with the punches I used to be touchdown however then I began to be slightly too selective.
“Then he bought me proper within the liver. Then after a couple of seconds I assumed I used to be going to stand up for positive then it was ‘ten’ and I used to be like OH MAN. I misplaced observe of the depend.”
Cabrera’s solely different defeat got here in a slender cut up resolution to Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz final July 29 in Las Vegas. Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) went on to say the WBA junior welterweight title earlier this yr.
In the meantime, Zepeda has known as for his subsequent combat to return with {hardware} at stake.
“I would like all 4 champions,” he insisted. “I’ve already performed my work. It’s time for Oscar De La Hoya to do his homework and make these fights occur.”
The message was obtained loud and clear by his Corridor of Fame promoter.
“William Zepeda is primary in each group,” De La Hoya stated. “The WBO champion is a comparatively simple combat to make. We’ll pursue that after which most likely down the road, slightly earlier than later, we are going to go up in opposition to Shakur Stevenson.”
Comply with @JakeNDaBox
