Rafael Espinoza had the room to himself for about an hour the last time he was in the ring.
The unbeaten WBO 126lbs titlist provided a shot of adrenaline to a dull boxing weekend to that point, when back-to-back Ring and Riyadh Season shows miserably underperformed. There was already plenty of motivation to shine for Espinoza, whose title defense against Edward Vazquez was the co-feature to an ESPN show headlined by undisputed 122lbs champion Naoya Inoue.
Guadalajara’s Espinoza did just that, as he dominated Vazquez en route to a seventh-round knockout on May 4 in Las Vegas. Vazquez’s effort was lauded by fans while Espinoza’s entertaining and one-sided performance provided a reminder that he’s the best featherweight in the world.
On the entertainment front, he was far and away the most watchable winner of the weekend – until the main event. Inoue survived a second-round knockdown and a heroic effort from challenger Ramon Cardenas to score an eighth-round knockout in an unexpected Fight of the Year contender.
“It felt good to be the most exciting fighter in the world for that brief amount of time,” Espinoza quipped to BoxingScene. “After my hand was raised, it definitely crossed my mind that I 'won' the weekend. But at the end of the day, I go into the ring to do my job. I don’t go out there with the intention of hurting my opponent, just to beat him.
“It was an exciting victory; the fans were entertained and then even more so after the main event. I know a lot of boxing fans had complaints about the fights they saw that weekend before our show. So, it meant a lot that I provided a good memory for them on that weekend. I plan to do the same on Saturday, only this time in my home country.”
With that, Espinoza, 27-0 (24 KOs), is set for his first fight in his home country since he entered the title fray.
The 6ft 1in featherweight puts his WBO belt on the line against Arnold Khegai, 23-2-1 (14 KOs). Top Rank Classics FAST channel will air the event live via ROKU, Tubi, VIZIO and Pluto TV (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET) from Arena Coliseo in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
The fight is the first in Mexico for Espinoza since July 2023, in his final fight before he challenged for his first major title. Four straight stateside appearances followed, including his pair of victories over Robeisy Ramirez to win and then defend the WBO belt.
His first win over Ramirez saw both boxers hit the deck in their December 2023 thriller, won by Espinoza via majority decision thanks to a dramatic 12th-round knockdown. All three title defenses have ended inside the distance, including his rematch with Ramirez last December when he stopped him mere seconds into the sixth round in Phoenix.
As Top Rank continues to search for a network deal following its eight-year run with ESPN, the short-term solution has been to strategically partner with other promoters. It worked out to Espinoza’s benefit, as he returns home atop a five-fight card with plenty of potential for a supporting player to steal the night.
“I’m very pleased that they think so highly of me. It shows that I’m doing things the right way and Top Rank believes in me,” noted Espinoza. “I’ve worked hard to improve ever since I became world champion. I had a lot to prove when I fought in the US for the first time, I faced a world champion [Robeisy Ramirez] for my first fight outside of Mexico.
“So now I return home with that same determination. Even those who want to be around me as much as possible respect the fact that I have a job to do on Saturday.”
Espinoza’s primary job is to retain his title. There’s also the allure of keeping alive his three-fight knockout streak.
Khegai enters his first career title fight, but having never been stopped in 26 pro bouts. His defeats have come to Stephen Fulton – who went on from their January 2020 meeting to win titles at 122lbs and 126lbs and now aims for his third divisional crown – and in a split decision to former multiple-time title challenger Joet Gonzalez earlier this year.
Khegai rebounded with a unanimous decision over former titlist Liborio Solis on September 12 in Berlin. The fight with Espinoza was made soon thereafter, and the defending titlist immediately went to work to ensure he becomes the best fighter that Khegai has ever faced.
“I never underestimate my opponent. In fact, I always strive to elevate them and put them on a pedestal,” noted Espinoza. “That’s what motivates me to train as hard as I do, which has led to my many knockout victories. I would love to give a knockout to my fans, keep that streak going.”
It would also go a long way to ensure that nobody else steals the show from him. The potential for competition on that front comes from an appealing all-Mexico co-feature between Lindolfo Delgado and Gabriel Gollaz in an IBF 140lbs title eliminator. Rising prospects Emiliano Vargas and Richard Torrez Jnr are also featured in showcase bouts.
“That’s the great thing about shows like this. I’ve stolen the show from others in the past and of course encourage all the undercard fighters to try and do the same on Saturday,” insisted Espinoza. “And if one of my countrymen does steal the night, I will be happy for him.
“I will do my best and plan to set the bar high. But if another fighter in a supporting bout steals the night, I will celebrate their achievement as well.”
