By Cliff Rold

After two frustrating outings, a quick knockout win can be just the tonic to get any career heading right again.

26-year old Jr. welterweight Jose Zepeda (24-1, 20 KO), 140, of La Puente, California, got just that in the main event on Saturday night at the Palenque Fex in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, stopping 32-year old veteran former title challenger Ammeth Diaz (32-13, 23 KO), 140, of Panama City, Panama, with one punch in the opening round.

The referee was Jacinto Arambula.

Zepeda wasted little time going at the shopworn Diaz after the opening bell. Using his southpaw right jab to work Diaz towards the ropes, Zepeda ended matters with a single laser of a left to the body. Diaz dropped to the mat and was in no shape to go on. The official time of the stoppage was 1:49 of round one.

The loss was Diaz’s ninth by stoppage and second in a row. Zepeda bounces back from two injury shortened battles in a row. Two fights ago, a dislocated shoulder ended Zepeda’s bid for the then-vacant WBO lightweight belt against Terry Flanagan. In his last outing, a clash of heads led to a first round “No Decision.” Zepeda is currently the WBO’s number one contender to Flanagan. 

In the televised opener, 25-year old former 115 lb. titlist and current Jr. featherweight battler Juan Carlos Sanchez (21-4-1, 9 KO), 122, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, rebounded from a decision loss to Cesar Juarez with a unanimous decision in ten rounds over 23-year old Jhon Gemino (12-6-1, 5 KO), 122, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines. The fight wasn’t a thriller but Gemino made a good case with energy and aggression. It wasn’t enough against the taller, longer, and more experienced Sanchez.

Sanchez got the fight by scores of 96-96 and 97-93 twice. The referee was Jacinto Arambula.

The card was televised in the US on BeIn Espanol, promoted by Zanfer.

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene and a member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com