William Zepeda wanted solely 4 rounds to overwhelm fellow light-weight contender Maxi Hughes. Picture by Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy Promotions
LAS VEGAS –William Zepeda despatched a savage message to the remainder of the sphere within the light-weight division.
The high-octane contender overwhelmed England’s Maxi Hughes to advance to the highest of the rankings. A barrage of physique punches pressured Hughes’ nook to drag their cost after the fourth spherical of their DAZN principal occasion Saturday from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
With the win, Zepeda turned the obligatory challenger each with the WBA and IBF. The 27-year-old Mexican southpaw already held that place with the WBC headed into the combat.
“Thirty completely different camps. Thirty completely different wins,” Zepeda informed DAZN’s Chris Mannix after his newest win.
Zepeda utilized his signature strain within the opening spherical, although not with rapid outcomes. Hughes put his infighting expertise to make use of as he stood within the pocket and managed to slide a lot of the incoming. A left to the physique by Hughes was an trustworthy effort to remind Zepeda that he was right here to combat.
Zepeda modified that in an enormous approach in spherical two.
Alternating chants of ‘Mexico’ and ‘Yorkshire’ motivated each fighters to face and ship. It completely performed into Zepeda’s deadly arms. The Ring’s No. 5-rated lightweight constantly tagged Hughes to the physique, usually combined in with uppercuts. Hughes, No. 9 at 135, took the pictures properly however was already at an influence deficit on paper.
In actuality, he didn’t have something to pressure Zepeda to take a backwards step.
Referee Robert Hoyle noticed Hughes’ physique language on the finish of a brutal third spherical. Zepeda (30-0, 26 knockouts) continued along with his physique assault. A proper hook by the Mexican southpaw landed slightly below the left elbow of Hughes, who was pressured in a defensive shell. Sufficient proper hooks additionally discovered their approach dwelling to severely redden the left eye of Hughes.
“That was what we labored on all through this camp,” Zepeda informed The Ring. “It’s no secret, simply an old-school strategy. We goal the physique and work our approach as much as the top. We have been very happy with the outcomes tonight.”
Zepeda stayed the course in spherical 4. Hughes tried in useless to search out separation between the 2 however Zepeda refused to let him off the hook—actually. A continuing barrage of physique pictures took its toll on Hughes, who was slowed to a crawl and his offense all however nonexistent.
An extended exhausting look was given to Hughes (26-7-2, 5 KOs) by each Hoyle and the ringside doctor. A quick dialogue concluded with Fields waving his arms to sign the tip of the combat.
“I actually felt the ache from these physique pictures in spherical three,” Hughes admitted to The Ring. “We tried various things, tried to make ourselves smaller. I simply couldn’t maintain him off me.
“My nook is aware of me too properly. They knew the punishment I used to be taking and determined to cease the combat.”
Hughes was statistically outgunned throughout the board. Zepeda landed 161-of-408 whole punches (39.5%), a mean of 102 punches per spherical in keeping with Compubox. Hughes was credited with touchdown simply 53-of-221 (24%) general, together with 34-of-111 energy pictures.
Zepeda linked on 105-of-228 (46.1%) of his energy punches, 49 of which landed to the physique.
The loss was the second in a row for Hughes, this time with out dispute. The 34-year-old British southpaw was thought of unfortunate in a majority-decision defeat to George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs), No. 8 at 135, final July 22 in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Hughes received seven in a row previous to that night time, usually in fights the place he was pegged because the opponent. Upset wins over Jono Carroll, unbeaten Viktor Kotochigov and former titlist Child Galahad ruined plans for these fighters and the occasion promoters.
On Saturday, he simply bumped into a special kind of animal altogether in Zepeda.
“Light-weight is stacked,” Hughes famous. “However he’s ok to compete with any of them.”
Zepeda picked up his third straight stoppage win, this one versus a perennial prime ten contender. Subsequent in his sights is a serious title.
Heading into this weekend, Zepeda and Hughes each brazenly expressed curiosity within the upcoming IBF title combat. Kambosos will face Ukraine’s Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs), No. 1 at 135, on Might 12 in Perth, Australia.
Zepeda ought to be subsequent in line from a sanctioning physique standpoint. The identical goes for his place with the WBA. Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs), No. 2 at 135, subsequent defends versus Ring No. 6 Frank Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) possible on June 15 in Las Vegas.
Nevertheless, it’s his place with the WBC that actually piques Zepeda’s curiosity.
“In an ideal world, I would like Shakur subsequent,” insisted Zepeda.
The callout is in reference to Shakur Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs), a three-division and present WBC 135-pound titlist. An opponent shouldn’t be but hooked up to a July 6 date reserved for the previous Ring 130-pound champ and No. 4-rated light-weight in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
“I’m able to reply that decision,” said Zepeda. “We’re going to sit down down as a workforce and talk about what’s subsequent for me. However I actually really feel out of all of the champions on the market, my type and Shakur’s match up the most effective. He wants an opponent and July is ideal timing for me to return.”
Jake Donovan is a senior author for The Ring and vp of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Follow @JakeNDaBox
