Jose Zepeda vs Ivan Redkach Preview September 6th, 2024
Southpaw Jose Zepeda of Long Beach, California returns to the ring this Friday, September 6th to battle with Ivan Redkach of Ukraine. The 10-round junior welterweight bout from Temecula, California can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Zepeda last fought in September when he was stopped in the fifth round by Dalton Smith in a shot at the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title. It was his second straight defeat as he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Richardson Hitchins in a shot at the vacant WBC Silver and WBO NABO Junior Welterweight Titles and the IBF North American Belt six months earlier. Redkach last saw action in May when he was halted in the fifth round by Batyrzhan Jukembayev and both he and Zepeda have lost three of their last four outings.
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Zepeda vs Redkach Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Ivan Redkach +450
- Jose Zepeda -700
My Pick
Zepeda is a 35-year-old veteran southpaw and owns a mark of 37-5 with 28 Ko’s. He won the vacant Silver Jr. Welterweight Crown in October, 2020 in a classic slugfest against Ivan Baranchyk. Zepeda was down twice in round one and once in rounds two and five while Baranchyk was down once in rounds two, three, four and five before he finally couldn’t get back up. It was thought Zepeda may have suffered a lot of damage in that bout but he then beat Hank Lundy by 10-round unanimous decision without much problem seven months later and stopped Josue Vargas five months after that.
He followed up with a second-round TKO over Francisco Perez but has now lost three of his last four contests as Regis Prograis stopped him in the 11th round in November, 2022 in a shot at the vacant WBC Junior Welterweight Title. Zepeda rebounded with a 10-round unanimous decision over Neeraj Goyat four months later before losing to Hitchins and Smith. Zepeda’s first pro loss came to Terry Flanagan when he was stopped in the second round in a shot at the WBO Lightweight Title in July, 2015.
He suffered a dislocated left shoulder and remained on his stool when the bell rang to start the third round. He then dropped a majority decision to WBC Super Lightweight Champion Jose Carlos Ramirez in February, 2019 in another world title opportunity with his third world-title defeat coming to Prograis. Zepeda stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 70.5-inch reach and has boxed 197 rounds since making his pro debut on Christmas Day, 2009. He possesses better-than-average power in his fists as 75.7 per cent of his victories have come by way of stoppage, but he’s gone four fights without scoring a stoppage.
Zepeda also won the vacant WBO International Super Lightweight Crown in June, 2017 when he stopped Miguel Zamudio in the sixth round. He then won the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Lightweight Championship by stopping Carlos Diaz Ramirez in the fifth round a year later. Zepeda has also beaten the likes of Jose Pedraza, Luis Arceo, Emanuel Lopez, Robert Frankel, Victor Manuel Cayo, Armando Robles and Abner Lopez.
The 38-year-old Redkach fights out of Los Angeles and climbs into the ring with a mark of 24-7-1 with 19 Ko’s. He’s a relentless puncher who likes to go to the body but is coming to the end of his career now and has won just six of his past 14 fights seven losses and a draw. His best wins have come against Devon Alexander, Tony Luis, Sergey Gulyakevich and Yakubu Amidu. Redkach had an extensive and impressive amateur career but other than his win over Alexander has struggled as a pro over the past couple of years.
He turned pro back in 2009 and has 159 rounds under his belt since then. Redkach’s other losses have been by sixth-round TKO to Regis Prograis in 2021; a 12-round unanimous decision to Danny Garcia in 2021 in a shot at the WBC Silver Welterweight Title; a fourth-round TKO to Dejan Zlaticanin in 2015; a 10-round unanimous decision to Tevin Farmer in 2016, a split decision defeat to Argenis Mendez in May of 2017 and he was stopped by John Molina in the fourth round of a slugfest in December, 2017.
His lone draw was a 10-round affair with Luis Cruz in April of 2016. Redkach stands just over 5-feet-9-inches tall with a reach of 71 inches which gives him a 1.5-inch edge in height and a half-inch reach advantage over Zepeda. He possesses pretty good power as 72.9 per cent of his wins have been by stoppage and he’s a tough guy who’s been in several wars.
Prediction…
Zepeda and Redkach are both fan-friendly boxers with power but have been declining in the past couple of years, especially Redkach. They have plenty of experience against tough opposition but Redkach looked shot in his last fight while Zepeda appears to have a bit more left in the tank. As long as Zepeda’s aggressive and lands with authority he should be able to stop Redkach in an entertaining fight while it lasts.
Redkach is 38 years old and in the twilight of his career.
Play: Zepeda -700 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Ivan Redkach betting • Jose Zepeda betting