William Zepeda’s latest opportunity to affirm his position as the top lightweight title contender in the world is to defeat a crafty fighter who came in two pounds heavier than him at Friday’s weigh-in.
Giovanni Cabrera (22-1, 7 KOs) weighed 137 pounds — two pounds over the lightweight limit but right on the contracted weight — and Zepeda (30-0, 26 KOs) weighed in at 135 ahead of Saturday night’s DAZN-streamed main event at Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif.
The bout sets up Zepeda, with a victory, for shots at a slew of champions, including WBC champion Shakur Stevenson, who’s also fighting Saturday night across the country in Newark, N.J.
Champions Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko are in negotiations for a unification, the other belt is worn by Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk. In other Ontario bouts, Angel Acosta (111.6) and Ricardo Rafael Sandoval (111.8) made the 112-pound limit for their co-main event, for the WBC silver flyweight title.
Also, Manuel Flores (17-1, 14 KOs) was a light 124.4 for his 129-pound contracted bout against Noel Arambulet (23-8, 8 KOs) and young welterweights Joel Iriarte (2-0, 2 KOs) and Yainel Alvarez (3-4-2, 1 KO) made weight.
12 rounds – lightweight
William Zepeda 135lbs v Giovanni Cabrera 137lbs
10 rounds – WBC silver flyweight title
Ricardo Rafael Sandoval 111.8lbs v Angel Acosta 111.6lbs
10 rounds – junior featherweight
Manuel Flores 124.4lbs v 128.8lbs
6 rounds – welterweight
Joel Iriate 146.2lbs v Yainel Alvarez 146.8lbs
10 rounds – junior welterweight
Alex Martin 141.6lbs v Pedro Campa 140.8lbs
10 rounds – junior featherweight
Gael Cabrera 123.5lbs v Mychaquell Shields 123.8lbs
6 rounds – junior lightweight
Joshua Garcia 132lbs v Jason Buenaobra 130.8lbs
4 rounds – junior middleweight
Anthony Saldivar 155.4lbs v Roman Canto 156lbs
4 rounds – junior lightweight
Daniel Luna 129.4lbs v Joseph Walker 132.8lbs
8 rounds – junior featherweight
Japhetlee Llamido 123.4lbs v Ryan Allen 122.8lbs
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