A fierce fight erupted in front of a packed audience on Mexican Independence Day. William “El Camarón” Zepeda (29-0, 25 KOs), maintaining his undefeated streak, recorded another win and held onto his WBA Continental Americas Lightweight Title, overpowering Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (34-4-3, 17 KOs). From the get-go, Zepeda was relentless, putting immense pressure on Gesta with powerful blows. This barrage continued until the sixth round when, at 1:31, Gesta’s team signaled the referee to halt the fight. This electric fight night took place at the Commerce Casino & Hotel and was broadcast live on DAZN.
“I’m prepared for any major fight out there, be it against Devin Haney or Shakur Stevenson. These guys have the belts, and that’s what I’m aiming for,” expressed William Zepeda. “My division offers great fights, and I believe Golden Boy will steer me towards becoming a World Champion. Now, it’s time to rest and recover at home.”
The evening’s second main fight showcased Vancouver’s Victor “El Tornado” Morales Jr. (19-0-1, 9 KOs) defending his WBA Intercontinental Featherweight Title. He squared off against Edwin “Pupo” Palomares (18-5-2, 9 KOs) from Mexico City in a 10-round battle that lasted the full duration. It was a heated exchange with both fighters displaying their heart and determination. Morales overcame a significant cut on his left eyebrow, with both of his eyes turning swollen.
“I hope I demonstrated to Oscar and the team that I’m a true warrior. I can endure whatever comes my way,” stated Victor Morales Jr. “I’m glad the belt is coming back home with us.”
Elsewhere, Yokasta Valle (29-2, 9 KOs), a three-division, five-time world champion, defended her IBF and WBO Minimumweight World Championship titles. She fought against Maria Santizo (11-3, 6 KOs) from Guatemala City. The championship fight was full of continuous action, with Valle emerging victorious with judge scores of 99-91, 100-90, and 99-91.
“I was aware she was coming at me with all she had,” remarked Yokasta Valle. “Knowing she trained in Los Angeles and had great sparring sessions, I was certain she was ready. Now, I’ll be taking a short break, enjoying Costa Rican beaches, and then it’s back to training. I aim to be fight-ready by November 4, irrespective of who I’m up against.”
Houston’s Darius “DFG” Fulghum (7-0, 7 KOs) kept his knockout trend alive with a second-round KO against Ricardo “Tyson” Luna (25-11-2, 16 KOs) from Mexico City. The fight was planned for eight rounds, but a head butt in the first round caused Luna to hit the floor in the second. His team decided to concede at 1:30.
The DAZN event opened with Eric Priest (11-0, 7 KOs) from Kansas City, going toe-to-toe against Simon “Vikingo” Madsen (13-2, 10 KOs) in a captivating fight. After eight rounds, the majority decision went in favor of Priest with scores of 76-76, 79-73, 80-72.
On The Golden Boy Fight Night: Zepeda vs. Gesta Prelims streamed across digital platforms, Daniel “Junebug” Garcia (7-0, 5 KOs) outclassed Erick “Aidahoe” Benitez (4-5, 1 KO) in a four-round super featherweight fight. Garcia’s most challenging fight to date ended in his favor with unanimous decision scores of 60-54.
Pinpon Reyes (11-0, 5 KOs) from Mexicali energized his fans in a six-round super lightweight fight against Roberto Gomez (5-2, 5 KOs). The back-and-forth fight saw Reyes slightly ahead on the scorecards, winning with a majority decision.
Golden Boy’s new signee, Gael “El Terror” Cabrera (2-0, 1 KO) from Sonora, showcased his increasing skills against Juan Centeno (8-10-3, 1 KO) from Nicaragua. The four-round super featherweight fight ended with unanimous scores of 40-36.
Lastly, Jordan Cervantes (1-0) marked his professional boxing debut against Giovanny Meza (0-5) in a four-round lightweight fight. All three judges unanimously scored the fight 40-36 in favor of Cervantes.
