Zepeda-Prograis Preview
Former world title challenger Jose Zepeda will get another chance to win a belt when he meets top contender Regis Prograis for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title this weekend. The bout will headline a FITE TV Pay-Per-View from the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
There was a bit of a media scare earlier this month when it was made public that Zepeda (35-2, 27 KO) was given a citation for an alleged assault. However, no charges were filed and the bout with Prograis will continue as planned.
Zepeda, 33, is looking to extend his win streak to six consecutive wins after a loss to Jose Ramirez and a no contest against Eleazar Valenzuela, in 2019. During his streak, he picked up wins over a couple of highly ranked junior welterweights: a decision over Jose Pedraza and a knockout over Ivan Baranchyk.
Prograis, also 33, will be looking to extend a win streak of his own, as he’s won his last three fights since losing in the World Boxing Super Series to unified junior middleweight champion Josh Taylor, in 2019. “Rougarou” finished each one of those three opponents—Tyrone McKenna (most recently), Ivan Redkach and Juan Heraldez—inside the distance and before the end of round six.
The vacant WBC title that Zepeda and Prograis will be fighting for was previously held by Josh Taylor, who unified all four of the major titles when he beat Jose Ramirez in 2021. He ended up vacating the belt shortly after his controversial decision win over Jack Catterall in February of this year. Zepeda-Prograis will give the winner an opportunity to establish themselves as a titleholder in a division that will most likely be opening up in the near future, especially if Taylor decides to move up in weight.
Fighter’s Form (last 5 fights):
Jose Zepeda
Josue Vargas - WIN by TKO 1 - 30/10/2021
Henry Lundy - WIN by UD (98-92, 98-92, 98-92) - 22/05/2021
Ivan Baranchyk - WIN by KO 5 - 10/03/2020
Kendo Castaneda - WIN by UD (98-92, 98-92, 97-93) - 07/07/2020
Jose Pedraza - WIN by UD (97-93, 97-93, 97-93) - 14/09/2019
Regis Prograis
Tyrone McKenna - WIN by TKO 6 - 19/03/2022
Ivan Redkach - WIN by TKO 6 - 17/04/2021
Juan Heraldez - WIN by TKO 3 - 10/31/2020
Josh Taylor - LOSS by MD (117-112, 115-113, 114-114) - 26/10/2019
Kiryl Relikh - WIN by TKO 6 - 04/27/2019
Event Information:
Date: November 26th, 2022
Time: 2 am (GMT), 6pm (PT), 9pm (ET)
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California, USA
Channel: FITE TV Pay-Per-View
Elsewhere on the card
In the co-main event, IBF/WBO light flyweight champion Evelyn Bermudez (17-0-1, 6 KO) will defend her titles against Yokasta Valle (26-2, 9 KO) in a 10-round bout. Also featured is former U.S. Olympian and contender Charles Conwell (17-0, 13 KO), who takes on Juan Carlos Abreu (25-6-1, 23 KO) in a junior middleweight contest.