Giovanni Cabrera (22-1, 7 KOs) considers his upcoming bout against William Zepeda as the “highest level of Mexican boxing” when they clash this Saturday, July 6th, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
The twelve-round fight offers the 29-year-old Cabrera a chance to prove his critics wrong, as many do not give him much hope of defeating the undefeated Zepeda (30-0, 26 KOs).
Zepeda, 28, is ranked #1 by all four sanctioning bodies in the lightweight division, a rare consensus that signifies their high regard for him. His ability to throw well over 1000 punches in twelve-round fights is one reason for this respect.
Cabrera will need an extraordinary performance to win because he doesn’t throw many punches and lacks power. Without power, Cabrera will struggle to survive against Zepeda unless he moves nonstop for the full 12 rounds.
Zepeda’s last opponent, Maxi Hughes, known for his excellent boxing skills, only lasted until the fourth round before being pulled out.
“I respect William Zepeda. He’s bringing war, but I’m bringing war as well, and I’m looking to hurt him,” said Giovanni Cabrera in media reports.
The video clips of Cabrera’s workouts were not impressive in terms of punching power. He appeared to be slapping the heavy bag without any thudding impact. It will be challenging for Cabrera to keep Zepeda at bay without moving constantly throughout the fight.
“Yeah, I know that I’m facing a guy with firepower that is hard to keep that pace up. It’s exciting. It’s going to bring the best out of me,” remarked Cabrera.
Cabrera can’t keep up with Zepeda’s work rate, and his experienced trainer, Freddie Roach, is likely aware of that. Roach will have devised some effective strategies for Cabrera to counter Zepeda’s high output. By using movement and clinching, Cabrera could potentially slow Zepeda down.
“We’re going to go toe-to-toe. It’s going to be my will vs. his. It’s going to be war. It’s not one of those unintelligent fights. This is the highest level of Mexican boxing for sure,” commented Cabrera.
Engaging in a toe-to-toe battle with Zepeda wouldn’t be wise for Cabrera, as he would likely get worn down by body shots, limiting his mobility.
