Undefeated lightweight contender William Zepeda. Photo by Golden Boy / Cris Esquesda
Lightweight contender William Zepeda returned to action on DAZN on Saturday in Arlington, Texas, extending his undefeated record by overwhelming Jaime Arboleda in the second round of a scheduled 12.
Zepeda (28-0, 24 KOs) put on a blistering performance, not allowing Arboleda room to breathe, pounding the body like a drum, and dropping the former 130-pound standout to the canvas three times before the fight was waved off.
WHAT A FIGHT AND ROUND.@williamzepeda2 with 3 knockdowns in one round. #ZepedaArboleda | LIVE now on @DAZNBOXING pic.twitter.com/3rTmj5BfsG
— Golden Boy (@GoldenBoyBoxing) April 30, 2023
From the opening bell, Zepeda marched forward and threw his patented long jab, backing Arboleda up. When backed into the corner, Arboleda (19-3, 14 KOs) looked to clinch and to pivot out and away from Zepeda’s barrage. But Zepeda did not let up and kept the volume at 10, landing to the midsection and up top.
Zepeda started Round 2 right where he left off and started with more volume. Arboleda struggled to find openings and keep Zepeda off despite landing some fairly solid punches. With Arboleda backed against the ropes, Zepeda’s left hand to the body started to take effect and Arboleda fell to the canvas.
Zepeda, who is ranked eighth by Ring Magazine, pressed the pace again in the corner with a barrage of punches to both the head and body, systematically breaking down Arboleda and dropping him again with repeated lefts to the body. Arboleda would beat the count once more and with plenty of time on the clock, Zepeda continued his onslaught on the body and dropped Arboleda with another body shot to take an early day at the office and put Arboleda away in round two.
Time of the official stoppage was 2:16.
Zepeda was coming off of a career best win, a unanimous decision over Joseph Diaz Jr. last October, and 10-round poiints win over former 130-pound beltholder Rene Alvarado last May. Zepeda is a welcome addition to an already loaded lightweight division with names like Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson.
Arboleda lost for the third time but against Zepeda, the Panamanian went down quicker than he has in his entire career.
In the co-main event, Victor Morales (18-0-1, 9 KOs) defeated Diego De La Hoya (24-2 11 KOs), also by second-round finish.
