Jose Zepeda vs Dalton Smith Preview March 23rd, 2024
Unbeaten junior welterweight Dalton Smith of Sheffield, will entertain his hometown fans this Saturday, March 23rd when he takes on southpaw Jose Zepeda of Long Beach, California. The 12-rounder can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Smith last boxed in July when he stopped Sam Maxwell in the seventh round to defend his British Junior Welterweight Title and to add the Commonwealth Crown at the same time. Zepeda last fought in September when he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Richardson Hitchins in a shot at the vacant WBC Silver and WBO NABO Junior Welterweight Titles as well as the IBF North American Belt.
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Zepeda vs Smith Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Jose Zepeda +220
- Dalton Smith -280
My Pick
Zepeda is a 34-year-old veteran southpaw and owns a mark of 37-4 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 two of his last three 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 and then lost to Hitchins his last time out. 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 192 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 three fights without scoring a stoppage and lost two of them.
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.
Smith is 27 years old and makes the ring walk with a perfect mark of 15-0 with 11 Ko’s and has boxed 93 rounds since making his pro debut in 2019. As an amateur, he won the 2018 ABA Championships as a junior welterweight, captured a silver medal at the 2014 European Youth Championships and a bronze at the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games as a lightweight. He also fought at the 2013 World Junior Championships and reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Youth Championships. Smith also competed for the World Series of Boxing from 2016 to 2018 for the British Lionhearts.
As a pro, Smith also won the vacant British Junior Welterweight Title in 2021 when he stopped Lee Appleyard in the sixth round. He added the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Junior Welterweight Belt the same year by beating Brian Pelaez by 10-round unanimous decision and took the vacant WBC International Silver Junior Welterweight Belt in 2022 when he stopped Ray Moylette in the 10th and final round. He won the vacant British Title again in 2022 by halting Sam O’maison in the sixth round.
At just under 5-feet-10-inches tall with an unlisted reach, Smith is an inch-and-a-half taller than Zepeda. And as far as power is concerned, he matches Zepeda quite well as 73.3 per cent of his wins have been by stoppage, but has gone the distance in two of his last three fights. Even though he’s a solid pro with good skills and power, Smith is taking a big step up in class here as he’s never fought a top-ranked world contender before.
Prediction…
Zepeda is a fan-friendly boxer with power but has been declining in the past couple of years. He has plenty more experience than Smith at the pro level though and has certainly faced tougher opposition. Smith should be in the prime of his career now at the age of 27 and is seven years younger than Zepeda. He’ll need to display a solid chin against Zepeda however if he’s going to emerge with a victory. If he’s at his best, Zepeda has a good chance to win this fight as long as he’s aggressive and lands with authority. Considering Smith is fighting at home though, I think he’ll do just enough to pull it out in a close fight.
Smith matches Zepeda’s power and is seven years younger.
Play: Smith -280 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Dalton Smith betting • Jose Zepeda betting