The current 135 pound division is pretty hot right now, with major talent like Shakur Stevenson, Tank Davis, Vasiliy Lomachenko and others operating at the weight. But it just might be that William Zepeda is the best of the lot today. The unbeaten Mexican southpaw put on a great performance last night in brutally attacking the midsection of Maxi Hughes, getting the fourth round stoppage win to go to 30-0(26).
Zepeda, at age 27 close to his peak, said after the fight that his “old-school approach” of tearing into the body, Mexican style, was what he and his team had worked on in camp. It showed, the shots to Hughes’ body hard to watch. And when we consider how Hughes, also a southpaw, had pushed former lightweight champ George Kambosos Jr hard to a close, debatable majority decision in his last fight, and how the 34 year old Yorkshire man had been stopped just twice prior to last night, we see that Zepeda scored a pretty useful statement of a win.
Now, Zepeda wants a world title shot, and he deserves one. After last night’s efficient display of breaking a man down with body punches, Zepeda and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya spoke about what could be next.
Three possible fights came up: Zepeda against Shakur Stevenson, Zepeda against Tank Davis (should Tank get past Frank Martin in June), and Zepeda against the winner of the May fight between Lomachenko and Kambosos Jr. As good as he has looked, with Zepeda arguably having got better and better over the course of his last few fights, “Camaron” has to be given a great shot against either of these fighters.
Zepeda has stayed busy, he has paid his dues, he gives fans action each time he fights, and Zepeda is hungry. Can he become the next Mexican warrior to win a world title?
“In a perfect world, I want Shakur next,” Zepeda said last night. “I’m ready to answer that call. We’re going to sit down as a team and discuss what’s next for me. But I really feel out of all the champions out there, my style and Shakur’s style match up the best. He needs an opponent and July is perfect timing for me to return.”
Stevenson, the reigning WBC lightweight champ who threatened retirement not too long ago, disgusted as he was at the way he strongly felt he was being avoided by the best at 135, now has what seems like a no-brainer of a fight, one that is right there to be made. And who wins if Zepeda does challenge fellow lefty Stevenson? It would be a fascinating fight, that’s for sure.
As would Zepeda against either Tank or the Loma-Kambosos Jr fight. De La Hoya says his guy Zepeda “is ready for anybody,” and after seeing his latest display of ring handy work, it’s tough to disagree.
