William Zepeda has a set fight date as he continues to build towards a targeted title shot.
BoxingScene.com has learned that the unbeaten lightweight contender will face the Philippines' Mercito Gesta atop a September 9 DAZN date from a yet-to-be-determined location.
Golden Boy Promotions representatives were unavailable to confirm as this goes to publication.
The fight will mark the third consecutive main event for Zepeda (28-0, 24KOs), the red-hot 27-year-old southpaw from San Mateo Atenco, Mexico. It comes just more than four months after a two-round wipeout of Jaime Arboleda in an April 29 bout that was elevated to main event when Vergil Ortiz (19-0, 19KOs) was forced to withdraw from a planned challenge of WBA ‘Regular’ welterweight titlist Eimantas Stanionis in Arlington, Texas.
Zepeda thrived in his first DAZN main event, a lopsided twelve-round win over former IBF junior lightweight titlist Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz last October 30 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.
Gesta (34-3-3, 17KOs) enjoyed his own victory over Diaz in his most recent performance. The 35-year-old Filipino southpaw outpointed the former titlist over ten rounds in their March 19 makeshift main event at Walter Pyramid on the campus of California State University-Long Beach. The bout was upgraded from the co-feature slot when Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez was unable to make weight for a planned light heavyweight clash versus Gabriel Rosado.
The career best win came in the wake of Gesta losing out on a planned fight versus Ryan Garcia, who bypassed their targeted January clash to head straight into his April 22 showdown versus Gervonta Davis. Gesta previously outpointed Joel Diaz Jr. in their ten-round thriller last April 21, which was his first fight in more than two years and his first win since 2018.
Zepeda is one of several top lightweights awaiting the status of undisputed champion Devin Haney (30-0, 15KOs), who is mulling whether to remain at the weight or campaign at the 140-pound junior welterweight division. Zepeda is the number-one contender with the WBA, who recognizes Davis (29-0, 27KOs) as its ‘Regular’ titlist and Haney as the ‘Super’ champ. Zepeda is also ranked in the top ten with the WBC (#4), IBF (#7) and WBO (#6).
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
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