Todd Duboef says Josh Taylor Lining Up Next Title Defense Against Jose Zepeda
Boxing is often full of surprises in and out of the ring. The latest example of this involves the current unified junior welterweight champion, Josh “The Tartan Tornado” Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs). Many fans and pundits believed the 31-year-old was on the verge of moving up in weight. Au contraire mon frère! Top Rank president Todd Duboef disclosed to UK news outlet Sky Sports that they are in negotiations for Taylor to defend his titles against WBC mandatory challenger Jose Zepeda (35-2, 27 KOs).
NOT LEAVING YET
“Zepeda is coming off a fight of the year performance against (Ivan) Baranchyk and a first-round KO of (Josue) Vargas in October (2021). These together have earned him the mandatory position to Josh’s WBC crown. We are working with both teams to put this fight on next.”
Todd Duboef, Top Rank president
In his last fight, “The Tartan Tornado” was lucky to escape with a highly-disputed split decision victory over then-WBO mandatory challenger Jack Catterall in February 2022. Afterward, the champ said making 140 has become quite a chore, and this was likely his last fight in the division.
On May 15, 3Kings Boxing reported that Taylor relinquished the WBA junior welterweight title because he was not interested in an ordered title defense against their mandatory challenger, Alberto Puello. It further fueled speculation that he’s moving up to welterweight. But instead, Taylor plans to stick around at junior welterweight for the time being.
A DANGEROUS CHALLENGER
Zepeda represents a legit threat. While he has solid boxing skills, his power and toughness make him a fan favorite among the hardcore sect. His eighth-round knockout of Ivan Baranchyk was 3Kings Boxing’s 2020 KO of the Year. The WBC had ordered a match between him and Taylor in April 2022.
If all parties come to terms, look for Taylor-Zepeda to happen sometime this summer. Stay tuned to 3Kings Boxing for continued updates on this developing story.
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By: Michael Wilson
