ZEPEDA THE DEMOLISHER
Jose targets showdown with world champ Josh Taylor after quick and violent victory, writes Eric Armit as he surveys another busy international week of action
OCTOBER 29 KISSIMMEE, USA
CHINESE light-heavyweight FANLONG MENG, 17-0 (10), returned to action for the first time in two years and managed some useful ring time as he outboxed Panamanian ISRAEL DUFFUS, 20-7 (17), to win on scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94. A mild upset saw Puerto Rican MIGUEL MARRERO, 10-1-2 (4), take the unanimous decision over Mexican VICTOR BETANCOURT, 27-4-1NC (14), in a close scrap between two good lightweights with Marrero’s strong finish securing the nod on scores of 96-94 (twice) and 97-97.
WASHINGTON, USA
THE featherweight fight between COBIA BREEDY, 15-1-1NC (5), and Ugandan SULAIMAN SEGAWA, 13-3-1-1NC (4), ended after only two rounds. A clash of heads in the second round opened a cut over Segawa’s left eye and at the end of the round the cut was judged to be too serious for the fight to continue
BELLA VISTA, PANAMA
ARGENTINIAN middleweight SEBASTIAN PAPESCHI, 18-3 (6), tore up the script as he outclassed favourite HECTOR ZEPEDA, 20-3-1NC (6), winning on scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92. Classy Cuban super featherweight PABLO VICENTE, 18-11NC (15), floored Argentinian JAVIER HERRERA, 17-5-1 (8), twice in the first round. He then fought for the last five rounds with his right eye almost closed but won a wide unanimous verdict with the judge’s cards reading 98-90 twice and 99-89 for Vincent.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
VENEZUELAN CARLOS CAÑIZALES, 23-11 (17), had too much skill for Mexican light flyweight GERMAN VALENZUELA, 16-3 (12). Cañizales was comfortable fighting at distance and countering the Mexican with Valenzuela not making use of his longer reach and Cañizales was a comfortable winner. Scores 98-92 twice and 99-91.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
IN a pair of Philippines title fights both RENZ ROSIA, 17-9-1 (9), and JHON GEMINO, 22-12-1 (12), scored inside the distance victories. Rosia won the superflyweight title as he battered champion CRIS PAULINO, 21-6 (8), to defeat in six rounds and Gemino halted DANNY TAMPIPI, 9-14-2 (5), in five rounds for the vacant featherweight title.
GEN. SANTOS CITY, PHILIPPINES
ON a busy night for boxing in the Philippines ADAM DIU ABDULLLAH, 17-9 (9), picked up the vacant national welterweight title with a victory over JASON EGERA, 24-23-2 (11), who just walked away from the action and quit in the eighth round. Top flight bantamweight ASTON PALICTE, 28-4-1 (23), floored ROLAND JAY BIENDIMA, 15-10-1 (8), on his way to the unanimous decision by 100-89 on the three cards.
OCTOBER 30 NEW YORK,USA
JOSE ZEPEDA, 35-2 (27), displayed his destructive power as he wiped out JOSUE VARGAS, 19-2 (9), in the opening round. Zepeda drove a southpaw straight left to the head of Vargas who went down heavily. He struggled to rise and then toppled over and nearly fell out of the ring. He managed to get up and was allowed to continue. Zepeda hunted him down and trapped him against the ropes and unloaded punches until Vargas slumped to the canvas. The referee duly pulled Zepeda off. Zepeda, who lost a majority decision to José Ramírez in 2019 and is ranked No.3, has his eyes on world champion, Josh Taylor. Bantamweights JONAS SULTAN, 18-5 (11), and CARLOS CARABALLO, 14-1 (14), provided plenty of entertainment as Filipino Sultan floored Caraballo four times but only just came out the winner. Caraballo came back strongly after every knockdown and Sultan took the decision by just a single point on the cards with all three judges scoring it 94-93 for Sultan. At super-bantamweight CARLOS JACKSON, 18-1 (11), came from behind to take a split decision over JONATHAN GUZMÁN, 24-2 (23), on scores of 78-74 and 77-75
TIJUANA, MEXICO
TWO legends of Mexican female boxing clashed here as “Aztec Princess” JACKIE NAVA, 39-4-4 (16), and MARIANA “Barbie” JUÁREZ, 55-11-4 (19), met in a bantamweight 10-rounder. It was expected to be a close fight but Nava put on a great display of boxing and outclassed Juárez winning on scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 97-94. Both Nava and Juárez are 41 but still going strong.
FORMER South American champion JONATHAN ENIZ, 26-15-1-1NC (11), got a much-needed win as he outpointed super-lightweight NICOLAS DEMARIO, 15-5-3 (9). Eniz built an early lead but was cut and let his lead slip before taking the last two rounds with the judges giving him the decision by scores of 96-94 twice and 97-95.
MELROSE, USA
COLOMBIAN super-welterweight JEOVANIS BARRAZA, 23-1 (16), scored three knockdowns against Argentinian JORGE GARCIA, 13-8-1 (3). Garcia made it to the final bell and Barraza had to settle for a lopsided unanimous decision of 80-68 (twice) and 79-70 points win.