Kendo Castaneda vs Jose Zepeda Odds & Pick

• Kendo Castaneda vs Jose Zepeda goes Tuesday, July 7th, at 8:00 PM ET
• Can the multi-time world title challenger Zepeda embark on another contendership run or will Castaneda capitalize as a late replacement?
• Check out the fight odds plus my breakdown and prediction for the bout below
  

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Kendo Castaneda vs Jose Zepeda is a compelling prizefight that came together on one week’s notice. The two will lock horns in The Bubble at the MGM Grand on Tuesday, July 7th. The Las Vegas fight card will broadcast on ESPN starting at 8:00 PM ET.

Ivan Baranchyk was initially supposed to fight Zepeda but had to drop out of the bout after an injury to his rib. Top Rank on ESPN’s Summer Series continues to roll on for the fifth straight week. This ten-round bout is set for the junior welterweight division. Castaneda vs Zepeda tops the marquee as Tuesday’s main event.

Castaneda vs Zepeda Odds

Odds as of July 2nd.

Jose Zepeda’s Quest for Another Crack at Gold

Zepeda is a top contender at 140 pounds and is omnipresent in the divisional title picture. The handlers of Zepeda are looking at running it back with Baranchyk later on in the year …  if Zepeda gets a favorable outcome here, of course.

Zepeda is coming off of an impressive victory over former world champion Jose Pedraza via unanimous decision. The Pedraza win came in September 2019, on the heels of a winless stretch across two previous bouts that calendar year.

Kendo Castaneda as a Viable Late-Replacement

Castaneda is likely entering this fight with a chip on his shoulder as it is on the heels of his first defeat as a professional: a loss to Yomar Alamo in February of this year via majority decision. Castaneda has found himself in some solid title scenarios, albeit not at the world championship level like his opponent this Tuesday. Castaneda captured the NABA junior welterweight belt and the aforementioned Alamo loss was a failed bid for the NABO junior welterweight crown (recognized by the WBO).

Have confirmed that San Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda (17-1, 8 KOs, 1 NC) has replaced Ivan Baranchyk (rib) as Jose Zepeda’s opponent for an ESPN main event July 7 in Las Vegas. Zepeda’s handlers still hope to reschedule the Baranchyk bout if he beats Castaneda. My story: https://t.co/PuSQqzHFSH

— Keith Idec (@Idecboxing) June 30, 2020

Zepeda has gone 0-2 in world title bids (his only career losses) and a third crack is something he is likely striving for. He has varying top-ten ranking distinctions from some of the most reputable outlets in the sport. A loss here would shift the balance of power at junior welterweight in a noticeable fashion, something that would have a residual effect for the remainder of the calendar year and beyond.

While a redemptive chance at championship gold could loom on the horizon, first Zepeda must get through Castaneda, a surging pugilist with something to prove who has never been knocked out as a professional.

Castaneda vs Zepeda Tale of the Tape

Kendo Castaneda is a capable enough young hand who has largely been putting on good performances against quality competition in his last handful of fights. Though there is more parity in this bout than some previous Top Rank fights during the COVID-19 comeback, I still lean towards the favorite here. Based on Zepeda’s 83-percent KO rate, I think he secures the knockout in this one, putting that first knockout loss on the underdog’s pro record. I theorize that Jose Zepeda gets the stoppage victory inside of six rounds.

Pick: Jose Zepeda (-400)