Jose Zepeda Stops Orlando Vazquez In Two Rounds
Jan 17, 2015 • 10:34 AM ET
By Francisco Salazar
PORT HUENEME, CALIF.
--Jose Zepeda was mentioned as a possible opponent to face Beandon Rios in August. Rather than be known as the opponent Rios never faced, Zepeda is slowly making a name for himself.
Zepeda stopped Orlando Vazquez in the second round before a sold out crowd at the Oceanview Pavilion in Port Hueneme, California.
The bout headlined atop Rank/ Bash Boxing card.
The southpaw Zepeda worked patiently from the outside, but began to time Vazquez whenever he saw openings. Near the end of the first round, Zepeda dropped Vazquez with a combination to the head. Vazquez survived the round.
It was all Zepeda in the second round as he went in for the kill. In the opening minute, Zepeda dropped Vazquez with a left to the body. Moments later, Zepeda dropped Vazquez with another left to the body. Vazquez was on wobbly legs when he got up, and moments later, Zepeda dropped Vazquez with a barrage of punches, prompting referee Jack Reiss to stop the bout at 2:03.
Zepeda, from La Puente, California, improves to 23-0, 20 KOs. Vazquez, from Puerto Rico, drops to 15-6-1, 9 KOs.
Lightweight Saul Rodriguez (16-0-1, 12 KOs) scored a second round knockout over Carlos Rodriguez.
In the second round, Carlos Rodriguez continued to press the action, but Saul Rodriguez was able to counter more to the head. Saul Rodriguez landed a combination, followed by a left hook to the head. Carlos Rodriguez back up into a corner, then took a knee. He remained on his knee as referee Raul Caiz, Sr. waved the fight over at 1:02.
Saul Rodriguez, one of Top Rank's top prospects, stayed on the outside as the aggressive Carlos Rodriguez plodded his way forward. Rodriguez worked behind a jab, landing straight right hands to the head and body behind those jabs.
Carlos Rodriguez (9-2, 4 KOs) did find some success landing an occasional hook or cross, but Saul Rodriguez was never in any danger.
Featherweight Daniel Franco stopped Sergio Najera (8-17-2, 2 KOs) in the first round of a scheduled six round bout. Franco (10-0-3, 7 KOs) hurt Najera with a right hand to the head. Moments later, an accumulation of punches put dropped Najera down to the canvas, prompting referee Wayne Hedgpeth to wave the fight over at 1:23.
In the opening bout of the Top Rank/ Bash Boxing card, welterweight Arnold Barbosa Jr. stopped Taif Harris in the first round of a scheduled four round bout. Barbosa (5-0, 1 KO) went straight at Harris, throwing multiple combinations onto a retreating Harris. An accumulation of punches dropped Harris (1-3) to the canvas, prompting referee Kirk Hoskins to step in and stop the bout at 1:45.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Salazar also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
