ONTARIO, CA — William Zepeda beat Giovanni Cabrera within the third spherical of a wild, all-Mexican shootout Saturday on the Toyota Area in Ontario, California.
“We’re going for that world title,” Zepeda stated after his win was introduced on the occasion World Boxing Information attended.
Zepeda, 28, is regularly preventing one of the best opponents of his 31-bout profession, defeating Joseph Diaz, Maxi Hughes, and now Cabrera, amongst others, in a 20-month span.
It won’t be lengthy earlier than he’s thrust into even higher challenges towards considered one of, or extra of, the world championship title holders within the division, the place he’ll put his swarming boxing type up towards one of the best in his weight class.
That type, one wherein he can throw near 1,000 punches in most fights, is one thing his promoters Oscar de la Hoya and Bernard Hopkins advised us units him aside, and can see him, they stated, no less than compete with, if not dominate, the 135-pound’s prime skills.
On Saturday, in Southern California, WBN noticed that quantity punching capability up shut — however from Cabrera, in addition to Zepeda, because the visiting Chicago boxer began the battle robust, and even compelled Zepeda backward with what the referee deemed a push, fairly than a shove.
This was a scrap, with each guys trying to throw wonton pictures from all angles, on a regular basis. They’d field at shut vary and alternate physique pictures and uppercuts in an obvious warfare to find out who had the higher stamina.
By the second spherical, Zepeda was again to his ordinary requirements, going from throwing 56 punches within the first to 95 within the second, after which the 77 within the third was all it took to shut the present.
This time, it was Zepeda’s consideration to the physique which paid dividends for him as he dropped Cabrera within the third — prompting the referee to step in and wave all of it off.
The ending sequence noticed Zepeda take a straight punch to the jaw in order that he may unleash his personal arsenal of pictures, together with a nasty dig to the physique earlier than lefts and rights to the jaw.
It was throughout.
“He obtained me proper within the liver,” Cabrera stated. “After a couple of seconds, I believed I used to be going to rise up for positive, then it was ‘ten,’ and I used to be like, ‘Oh, man.’ I misplaced monitor of the depend.”
“I’ve fought some nice opposition,” Zepeda stated. “And I really feel I’m one of many prime of the division. We’re going to search for the chance to change into world champion.”
He completed: “I’ve performed my homework and now it’s time for Oscar de la Hoya to do his homework, put the opponent in entrance of me, and inform me what time and the place’s the dance.”
Alan Dawson is World Boxing Information Lead Author, a 2 x Sports activities Journalist of the Yr finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Comply with Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
