Fight This Saturday
Lightweight contender William Zepeda faces Jaime Arboleda in the main event of a DAZN card taking place at the College Park Center, at University of Texas campus in Arlington, Texas, this Saturday, April 29th. The fight date was originally set for a world title fight between undefeated WBA secondary welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis facing Texas’ own undefeated Vergil Ortiz Jr., in a hotly contested bout that many fight fans had circled on their schedule.
Yet, that was not to be as Ortiz had to withdraw from the bout as he reoccurring ailment of rhabdomyolysis that forced him out of the fight on March 29th.
“In preparation for his upcoming fight on April 29 in Arlington, Texas, Vergil Ortiz, Jr. has had to pull out of his main event versus Eimantas Stanionis…due to a flare-up with rhabdomyolysis,” said Golden Boy via press release about the removal of Ortiz.
Now Zepeda will enter 2023 for the first time after picking up a win over former world champion and 2012 U.S. Olympian Jospeh Diaz Jr. in his last fight which vaulted him Zepeda into a full-fledged contender status. Zepeda will face Jaime Arboleda, who is best known for being stopped by Chris Colbert in the headlining bout of a Showtime Championship Boxing card, in 2021.
“What I can tell about this fight is [my opponent is] a tall fighter with great movement, great footwork, I think it's gonna be a great fight,” said William Zepeda via a translator to ProBoxTV News exclusively. “I think he's ready, and he is coming ready to fight.”
Zepeda, who threw a record number of punches against Joseph Diaz Jr., at 1,536 over the course of a twelve-round prize fight. Zepeda gave a bit of his game plan away as he stated that he is going to focus on targeting his opponent’s body to systematically break his opponent down.
“I'm looking forward to coming out like always touching his body [round after round],” explained Zepeda when breaking down the fight. “Like always I'm going to start with his body and try to break them down little by little.”
World Title In His Future?
With the world titles possibly in limbo, as all four titles are currently held by Devin Haney, and Haney facing Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20th, on ESPN+ pay-per-view live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Heading into this bout, Zepeda is ranked in the lightweight division number three by the WBA, number five by the WBC, and number six by the WBO.
It is clear that Zepeda has his eyes on a world title in the future and wants to fight for one sooner rather than later. Especially given that if Haney were to beat Lomachenko, it seems Haney might vacate all four world titles. Giving him an opportunity at a world title as soon as his next fight.
“Yes, absolutely,” said Zepeda when asked if he’d like to fight for a lightweight world title in the future I wouldn't have to fight for a world title. “I'm a person who is guided by my team [after this fight we] will sit down and talk with my team and all I do is fight and my team takes care of the rest.”
Disappointed By Ryan Garcia’s Performance
Originally, Zepeda was set to be featured on this weekend’s marquee PPV card, that saw Gervonta Davis stop Ryan Garcia in seven rounds. Zepeda seemingly was moved back one week so Golden Boy could continue with the fight date that Vergil Ortiz Jr., once occupied and Zepeda was given the chance to headline, yet another card.
That said, Zepeda was not thrilled with the performance from his stablemate, Ryan Garcia, who fights under the same promotion, Golden Boy Promotions.
“I expected [a bit] more from [Gervonta Davis versus Ryan Garcia],” said Zepeda reflected on the record breaking pay-per-view that saw Golden Boy Promotions Ryan Garcia get stopped in the seventh round. “I expected Ryan to be a little more competitive. I [saw] Ryan didn't have a game plan, [as he] stood in front of a very strong Gervonta Davis a fighter who you can’t do that [against] because [Davis is] very strong, well we see the results of [Garcia] standing there and not having a game plan.”
As for if Zepeda will one day face Ryan Garcia. He is open to the fight, but only under one condition. Zepeda believes he is the perfect size and frame for the lightweight division, meaning that since Garcia has moved up to the junior welterweight division the fight will not happen unless Garcia moves back down.
“What I've last heard is that [Garcia is] moving up to 140 pounds and [I am a] natural [lightweight],” said Zepeda. “If he's willing to go back to 135 then I'm willing to fight him."
