By: Sean Cross
The vacant WBC junior welterweight belt was on the line Saturday in Carson, Calif., as former world titleholder Regis Prograis took on Jose Zepeda in a scheduled 12-rounder. Pay per view main event Suitable Card, Prograys-Zepeda was previously seen as a pair of two very talented and hungry fighters, one with the potential to create fireworks.
The first two rounds were close. In fact, it looked more like a chess match than the expected contest between two men who could turn off the lights. At first, Zepeda landed hard. Progress landed hard in the second. But in the third round, Progress started to come down and landed well on the man. What’s more, it seems that Prograis’ boring, aggressive style is starting to pay off for the Houston-based fighter.
The fourth through sixth rounds were a showcase of Prograis. He didn’t just land, he landed hard. Cut off Zepeda. Zepeda’s head jerked back as he landed. Even when Zepeda’s jabs were landing clean, he didn’t seem bothered. In the middle of the fight, Zepeda seems to be trying to survive.
As the fight progressed into the later rounds, it became part of a blowout. Zepeda seems to have withered Prograis’ strange, crab-like demeanor. The man couldn’t make anything happen other than landing the jab. And he didn’t mind Prograce being a hit in Japan. Zepeda’s head snapped back as he landed on Zepeda. He was simply superior to his man.
But in the tenth round, Zepeda really came alive. Shake Progress to the left. He couldn’t make the most of the moment, but Zepeda continued to fight gamely and well. Indeed, he may have won that chapter. Maybe Progres realized this, because in the tenth time he shook Zepeda hard. Then he went in for the kill. As he sent Zepeda into the ropes, Progrias beat his opponent senseless until the referee stopped the fight and Zepeda fell to the mat.
“I want to congratulate Jose Zepeda,” Prograis said after the match. “This guy is tough, tough, tough.” Progres added that it was one of the toughest fights he had ever had. “Hear me, you took him to deep water and drowned him,” said Prograce.
