William Zepeda Takes On Revived Tevin Farmer In Rematch Saturday

The boxing calendar features dueling main event rematches on Saturday. Months after a surprising, competitive battle in Riyadh between lightweights William Zepeda of San Mateo Atenco, Mexico (31-0, 26 KOs) and former IBF super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer of Philadelphia (33-7-1, 8 KOs), Zepeda and Farmer will go at it again a rematch of their November 2024 showdown.

This time, the fight will take place on Zepeda’s turf at the Poliforum Benito Juarez in Cancún, Mexico. The Golden Boy Boxing fight card airs on DAZN starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Zepeda’s interim WBC lightweight belt is at stake. Both fighters made weight Friday: Zepeda at 134.2, Farmer at the 135-pound limit.

Tevin Farmer made it clear he’s got a score to settle with William Zepeda Saturday. Photo: Golden Boy Boxing

Farmer made the weigh-in muy caliente, talking some sort of smack into Zepeda’s ear. Eventually, some shoving was done before the fighters were quickly separated.

Tevin Farmer Out To Get His Due

Tevin Farmer forced William Zepeda to work and to show the veteran the respect he deserves in their first fight. But he would prefer a win this time. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Farmer gave El Cameron a stiff challenge the first time, showing Zepeda what Philly toughness is all about. He scored a shocking knockdown with a left hook against Zepeda in the fourth round. Zepeda recovered, and thanks to his impressive stamina, he fought hard to win a majority decision. The scores were as narrow as they get: 95-94 twice for Zepeda, and 95-94 for Farmer.

“The people that run the world, they decide that. Judges gave it to him, it’s what it is,” said Farmer after hearing the decision.

“I think the knockdown edged me out for sure. When they said 95-94 I knew I had it. In fights like these, knockdowns make the difference.”

Farmer said Zepeda hasn’t been facing veterans like him. “I brought the fight to him. He wouldn’t have to find me. I’m right there. This guy stopped his last 11, 12 opponents.”

Farmer says he’ll be ready to go when the bell rings on Saturday. “I was off for three and a half years, and fighting him the first time was the first time I felt somewhat comfortable in the ring. Ring rust is real, but now it’s all gone.

“Last time, I let him live and let him do more than I should have. This time, there’s no mercy. He’s not on my level, and on March 29, I’m not just winning. I’m making a statement. I’m going to show the world that I’m still A top dog in this game. Never doubt Tevin Farmer. Y’all should know that by now—I’m like a fly you can’t get rid of. I just keep coming back. Just tune in on March 29 on DAZN and watch me become a two-time world champion.”

William Zepeda Asked for the Rematch

William Zepeda now has a young son and family to fight for. Photo: Golden Boy Boxing

Zepeda vows he has no intention of giving up his interim title, and he will also come better prepared. Zepeda said the fight showed him he had to perfect some things.

“I’ve trained hard for years to earn this world title, and I’m proud to get back in the ring and defend it in this highly anticipated rematch against Tevin Farmer.

“The fans asked for it, and I’m ready to give them an even better version of myself. I’ll leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that I’m the clear winner.”

Prediction: William Zepeda By Decision

William Zepeda is the mandatory contender in all four division, but will have to wait on the champions to do business. Meanwhile he’ll mow down challengers. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy

Although it was Farmer’s second straight loss, he and Zepeda delivered an entertaining fight the first time around, and Farmer’s stock didn’t drop. Expect another barnburner in Cancun, this time with a lively house of rabid Mexican boxing fans creating real excitement.

Farmer forced Zepeda to fight to the final bell for the first time in two years. Farmer is a classy Philly tough fighter with a solid skillset, a slick southpaw with defensive intelligence. But Farmer was out of the ring three and a half years after his 2020 loss to Joseph Diaz Jr., and he’s been in rebuilding mode. He came oh so close against Zepeda, and he’ll be highly motivated.

But so will Zepeda, who got a serious wake-up call from Farmer while biding his time until a world championship fight comes his way. He’s got something to prove to the rest of the division to be taken seriously. When two fighters have this kind of motivation, fans are the winners.

As good as Farmer is, he’s six years older than Zepeda and nearing the end of his career. Zepeda is a relentless machine with an engine built in the high-altitude mountains outside Mexico City, where he lives and trains. Zepeda doesn’t go to camp in the mountains for a few weeks; he grew up there, and it’s an undeniable edge. He holds CompuBox records for lightweights for total punches thrown, jabs attempted in a round, and total attempted jabs.

In their first fight, Zepeda landed 527 of 1087 punches thrown (48%). Farmer landed 366 of 737 punches (49%). Once again, we expect Zepeda to keep coming, and this time he’ll be more cautious about avoiding incoming fire. Farmer is tough, and we predict he’ll end the first on his feet, but it’s possible Zepeda will deliver damage by attrition for a late-round stoppage.

Oscar Collazo Defends Unified Titles In Co-Main

Oscar Collazo hopes to unify the minimumweight division. He’ll make his first title defenses against Edwin Cano Hernandez. Photo: Golden Boy Boxing

Puerto Rican WBO/WBA and Ring Magazine Minimumweight champion Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo (11-0, 8 KOs) will defend his trio of titles for the first time against Edwin Cano Hernandez of Mexico (13-2-1, 4 KOs).

Collazo is coming off a sensational performance in Riyadh, knocking out Thammanoon “Knockout CP Freshmart” Niyomtrong of Thailand (25-1, 9 KOs), the first knockout loss of Niyomtrong’s career and ending his record streak of 13 title defenses since 2016.

Collazo is enthusiastic about getting back in the ring for a classic Puerto Rico vs. Mexico showdown with national pride on the line. He is admittedly in a stay busy fight against Cano while he pursues his ultimate goal of unifying the minimumweight division. It would make him the first undisputed champion from Puerto Rico.

Count on Oscar Collazo for a Puerto Rico vs. Mexico classic. Photo: Golden Boy Boxing

“(I’m) Feeling motivated, first title defense. Coming over here in Cancun, Puerto Rico versus Mexico, let’s get it!” said Collazo. He urged fans not to sleep on the action in the smaller weight divisions.

“I want to send a message to all the fans who think the lower weight divisions are not very important, that we’re not worth it, that no one wants to see us,” said Collazo. “Nah, we get down! We make weight. We sacrifice ourselves. And sometimes we have the best fights. Now we have a great opportunity to grow the lower weight divisions. I want to make that call to challenge the mentality of the whole world, because this is global.”

Collazo is never in a bad fight. Sometimes he’s in a brief fight, so be in your seat from the start and watch Collazo enjoy his work.

Yokasta Valle and Marlen Esparza Battle

Yokasta Valle and Marlen Esparza have no love lost between them. Photo: World Boxing Council

WBC World Minimumweight champion Yokasta Valle of Costa Rica (32-3, 10 KOs) will move up two divisions to face former champion and Olympic medalist Marlen Esparza of Houston (15-2, 1 KO) in a non-title fight at super flyweight.

For the third fight in a row, Esparza was over the weight limit, this time by 1.5 pounds. Because it is a non-title fight, it’s still a go.

“I know there are champions who avoid risks, who don’t want to fight the best. I’m not one of those. From the moment this opportunity presented itself, I never doubted it,” said Valle.

“I want to leave a legacy in women’s boxing: to show that women can fight the best against the best. This is a new challenge, a new goal, a fourth division. I’ll be back to defend my title very soon, but first, let’s make more history.”

In December, Esparza defeated Arely Muciño by 10-round decision. Much the same as Collazo, Esparza fights to generate fan interest and in doing so, get another title fight opportunity in her division. In the meantime, she’s happy to stay busy and showcase women’s boxing.

Esparza credited Golden Boy Boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya for helping shine a spotlight on the smaller weight divisions for women and men.

“We’re more active, and we have a lot more skill sets than the higher weight classes because of the movement and how small we are. If it wasn’t for Oscar signing and building this weight class, we wouldn’t really have a lot of the women we have now,” said Esparza.

Also being showcased on the undercard, welterweight prospect Caydon Griffiths of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, will work to keep his perfect record of three wins and three knockouts intact against undefeated Fernando Elias Ruiz Hernandez of Nayarit, Mexico (2-0, 1 KO).