Knockout artist and undefeated pugilist William “El Camarón” Zepeda (27-0, 23 KOs) of San Mateo, Mexico will return to the ring after pulling an upset against Joseph Diaz, Jr. last October 2022 and is now scheduled to defend his WBA Continental Americas Lightweight Title against former world champion challenger of Curundu, Panama Jaime “Jaimito” Arboleda (19-2, 14 KOs). The two fighters will participate in a 12-round lightweight fight that is presented in association with Sampson Boxing. The event, originally announced as Eimantas Stanionis versus Vergil Ortiz, Jr., will still take place at College Park Center at The University of Texas at Arlington campus and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“In an absolutely stacked lightweight division, I don’t think there is anyone I would favor over Zepeda,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. “But other fighters have been favored over Arboleda before and ended up tasting defeat. To get to the next level, Zepeda must continue to use the volume of punches and relentlessness that have made him a force to be reckoned with.”
In the co-main event, Diego De La Hoya (24-1, 11 KOs) will participate in a 10-round featherweight fight against stablemate Victor Morales (17-0-1, 8 KOs). De La Hoya was last seen December 2022 with a victory against Jose Santos Gonzalez. Morales is coming off of a win against Diuhl Olguin last November 2022.
Guadalajara’s Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (12-0, 10 KOs) will participate in a 10-round welterweight bout against Chicago’s Frederick Lawson (29-3, 22 KOs). Curiel is coming in hot after an explosive, second-round victory against Brad Solomon last December 2022.
In the night’s special female championship presentation, the WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine Flyweight World Champion of Houston, Texas, Marlen Esparza (13-1, 1 KOs) will defend her titles against Merlo, Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz (14-0, 6 KOs). The fight is scheduled for 10-rounds.
Opening up the DAZN broadcast with eight-rounds of super middleweight action, Reading Pennsylvania’s David Stevens (12-0, 9 KOs) will face off against Marco Periban (26-6-1, 17 KOs) of Mexico City. Opening up fight night, Caleb Zuniga (1-0) of Austin, Texas will participate in a four-round super featherweight fight against a soon to be announced opponent.
