The winner of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s impending title fight with George Kambosos Jr may not have to wait long for his first mandatory challenger, as both William Zepeda and Maxi Hughes told ProBox TV they are in talks to face each other. potentially on March 16 in Las Vegas.
Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) says the fight will serve as both an IBF and WBA eliminator. He admits that he’s not sure how that works and I admit I’m in the same boat; He and Zepeda (29-0, 25 KO) are ranked no. 5 and no. 6 with the IBF behind Kambosos, Lomachenko and Isaac Cruz, but Hughes is not ranked at all with the WBA.
To be fair, that didn’t stop Gilberto and company.
In any case, it’s a bit of justice for Hughes, who beat Kambosos in a eliminator last July before being defeated on the scorecards. “Nice” doesn’t necessarily mean nice, as Zepeda’s power and volume present a much more formidable challenge than Kambosos’ unconventional style.
On the other hand, Hughes has made a career out of flipping the script and appears to be the best coach Zepeda has faced, with the possible exception of a bloated JoJo Diaz. It’s a genuinely interesting clash of styles and a tough test for both men; Let’s hope they come together and give the division the boost it needs after a shaky 2023.
