William Zepeda weighed 133.8 lbs, and Maxi Hughes weighed 134.6 lbs on Friday at their weigh-in for this Saturday night’s 12-round lightweight headliner on DAZN at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
(Photo credit: Golden Boy Promotions)
Hughes, 34, has got his work cut out for him to try and win this fight against Zepeda, as he’s outgunned in this contest. The only chance Hughes has of winning is if he can stay on the move for the full 12 rounds without getting trapped by Zepeda.
In the co-main event weights, lightweight contender Floyd Schofield (16-0, 12 KOs) weighed in at 134.8 lbs, while his opponent Esteuri Suero (13-1, 10 KOs) weighed in at 135 lbs for their ten-round contest.
Zepeda: On the Verge of a Title Shot?
“Zepeda has become one of the most entertaining boxers in the lower weight class. He’s going to take on Maxi Hughes, and this is another step towards a world title shot,” said Chris Mannix on DAZN Boxing about this Saturday’s clash between William Zepeda and Maxi Hughes in Las Vegas.
Zepeda would like to fight Shakur Stevenson for his WBC lightweight title, but he’s not shown interest in doing that fight.
Also, Stevenson’s Top Rank promoters will likely focus on matching him against one of their fighters, like Raymond Muratalla, Emanuel Navarrete, or Vasily Lomachenko. If Zepeda wins on Saturday, he may need to continue to wait for a title shot because none of the champions are going to rush to face him.
“Even without a world title belt, Zepeda has a case to be made as one of the best 135-pounders in the world. The question is, is he the best lightweight in boxing?” said Mannix.
“No, not yet. I would say top three or top four, because you have Olympians, Shakur Stevenson, and Lomachenko. Tank, who doesn’t have a championship resume, he’s a bonafide star. He’s a big puncher. So, all eyes are on him and you have that monster there,” said Sergio Mora.
“Zepeda fits in #4 or #5. He’s definitely top 5. He’s punching himself up the rankings. When you’re throwing 1500 punches [per fight], he’s a power puncher; he’s going for the knockout, and people love to see that.
“Can you imagine a fight between Zepeda and Tank Davis? That fight sells itself, but no, to answer your question. You still have guys like Shakur Stevenson at the top of my list, Lomachenko, and, of course, Tank,” said Mora.