Jose Zepeda vs Ivan Baranchyk Odds and Pick
- Jose Zepeda vs Ivan Baranchyk goes down on Saturday, October 3rd at 10 PM ET
- Who wins this WBC super lightweight world title eliminator?
- Check out the fight odds, analysis, and prediction below
Jose Zepeda and Ivan Baranchyk will throw down inside the bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night at 10:00pm EST and be broadcast on ESPN+.
The vacant WBC silver super lightweight title is up for grabs in this contest. This 140-pound bout will determine the number one ranked fighter in that division within the WBC. The winner of this jettisons themselves towards a world title opportunity.
Jose Zepeda vs Ivan Baranchyk Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ivan Baranchyk | -145 |
| Jose Zepeda | +115 |
Odds as of September 30th
This bout was supposed to go down July 7th, but Baranchyk suffered a rib injury which caused the delay. This fight pits the WBC’s third and sixth ranked contenders inside the ropes.
Jose Zepeda’s Title Shot Comeback
Jose Zepeda is a proven combat commodity who has over thirty professional victories to his credit. Zepeda’s last outing was a predictably dominant performance over late replacement Kendo Castaneda.
"I have four names in mind: The WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA."
Top-10 Junior Welterweight Jose Zepeda is aiming high after a crisp, dominant performance against Kendo Castaneda Tuesday night. #ZepedaCastaneda pic.twitter.com/Dd42h8nJNZ
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) July 8, 2020
Jose Zepeda has twice challenged for world titles and has both times come up short. A big win here could pay dividends in terms of setting him on a route towards a third crack at world title glory.
His first bid at world title glory saw him suffer a dislocated shoulder against Terry Flanagan in a bout that saw Flanagan get the second-round TKO distinction. Zepeda’s second failed title bid against Jose Ramirez was a razor-thin contest that actually raised his stock despite losing the bout itself.
Ivan Baranchyk’s Quest to Be WBC’s Top Contender
The lone loss of Ivan Baranchyk’s pro career was to the current WBA/ IBF super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor in their May 2019 world title fight. Baranchyk rebounded from that defeat to halt Gabriel Bracero in the fourth round of his last bout in October 2019.
Baranchyk is the former IBF super-lightweight champion and is mapping out a path to a second world title run as he takes his first fight of 2020.
Baranchyk has a true bite down on the mouthpiece style where he marches forward with vicious intent.
Conversely, Zepeda is more of a technical pugilist who can use ring craft and fight IQ to lead the dance. Curiously, their overall stoppage rates don’t necessarily reflect this.
Zepeda has a 78-percent knockout rate opposite Baranchyk’s 65 percent overall KO rate. Both of these guys can crack, but I ultimately think this one will come down to who is the more well-rounded, skilled boxer overall.
Zepeda vs Baranchyk Tale of the Tape
| 32-2 | Record | 20-1 |
| 25 | Knockouts | 13 |
| 5’8 | Height | 5’8 |
| 70.5″ | Reach | 67″ |
| Jose Pedraza, Carlos Diaz Ramirez, Armando Robles | Significant Wins | Gabriel Bracero, Anthony Yigit, Abel Ramos |
| Southpaw | Stance | Orthodox |
I think the first few rounds will see Baranchyk firing on all cylinders with Zepeda having to be mindful of the power but eventually, I think Baranchyk’s cardio will waver and Zepeda will start running away with the fight in the mid-to-late portions of the prizefight.
This one is scheduled for twelve rounds and I think that it will go the distance. I foresee Jose Zepeda winning this one on points by utilizing his three-inch reach advantage and southpaw angles/ movement options to remain offensively effective and defensively savvy.
Pick: Jose Zepeda (+115)
A part-time writer and full-time broadcaster, Dylan has hosted MMA talk shows Lights Out and Pure Fight Radio with featured guests like Jens Pulver, Roy Nelson, Miesha Tate, and covered some of the biggest MMA promotions like Rumble in the Cage, Unified MMA, and King of the Cage.
