According to recent media reports, WBC/WBA Super/IBF/WBO super middleweight champion, Mexican sensation Canelo Álvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs), has agreed to a bout with Cuban boxer William Zepeda (22-0, 9 KOs), with the fight penciled in for September 14. Zepeda is the IBF mandatory challenger, and recently, the IBF called for an immediate title fight between the two, which Canelo accepted.
The 32-year-old Zepeda currently boasts an unblemished professional record of 22 wins, with 9 of those victories coming by way of knockout. He ranks 18th in the BoxRec rankings at 168 pounds. Standing at 1.82 meters tall, his past opponents don’t quite match up to Canelo’s level; apart from being ranked first by the IBF, he doesn’t feature in the top 15 of the other three organizations. It appears that Zepeda is stepping in as a potential underdog in this matchup.
Said William Zepeda, “I will prove that there’s a reason why I’m the IBF mandatory challenger. I didn’t come here just for the money; I want to claim all of Canelo’s belts.”
His promoter, Ingo Volkmann, commented, “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with TGB Promotions, but we have been asked to maintain confidentiality and cannot disclose any details at this time. Canelo will make the official announcement when the time is right.”
At 33 years old, Canelo recently defeated Gilberto Ramírez (43-1, 34 KOs) over 12 rounds on May 1st. As he continues to evade a mandatory bout with David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs), the WBC is expected to strip him of his title, which should have happened earlier. In that case, the WBC interim champion, David Benavidez, would likely contend for the vacant 168-pound championship against the WBC’s number one contender.
Canelo Alvarez Set to Face William Zepeda. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/boxing-zone/7701.html
