The weekend's action that took place on DAZN:
Zepeda Outlasts Farmer
William Zepeda (33-0-0) headlined this DAZN card in Cancun, Mexico, in a rematch against Tevin Farmer (33-8-1). The first fight surprised us when Farmer, a former champ, showed he wasn't ready to step down from the elite level. The original thought was this would be a stay-busy fight for Zepeda before securing a mega fight against pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson. Farmer proved game and scored a knockdown against Zepeda in the first fight. However, Zepeda's style of throwing a million punches with all-out pressure proved too much that night in November.
The rematch was eerily similar to the first fight. When it was announced, no one thought we needed to see this again. Why would Zepeda not move on to a bigger fight? Was Farmer looking for one last payday?
Zepeda stuck to his game plan by pressuring Farmer and throwing non-stop punches. Farmer was leaning on his movement and pure boxing skills. Farmer appeared to suffer a left-hand injury in the first round, which deterred him from any offense early on. Zepeda had Farmer on the ropes and ready for a knockout almost every other round. Somehow, Farmer was able to survive those rounds and eventually found success in landing big, meaningful punches. Zepeda will be looking to move on to a mega fight, while Farmer, even in a loss, comes out with improved stock.
Collazo Blasts Cano
Oscar Collazo (12-0-0) continues his reign as the top dog in the Strawweight division. Edwin Cano (13-3-1) was a willing opponent, but he was simply outclassed by Collazo. Things came to an end in the 5th round when Collazo capped off this beatdown with a body shot that sent Cano to the canvas.
Collazo keeps his WBA, WBO, and Ring Magazine belts.
Velasquez Gutsy Win Over Castillo
This was one of the surprisingly fun fights of the weekend. Joselito Velasquez (21-1-1) was looking to make quick work of relatively unknown but tough Adolfo Castillo (12-5-2)in their Flyweight clash. Castillo's style is an awkward one as he is constantly leaning his head in and falling over his feet. This quickly became the story of the fight as head clashes opened up two cuts on Velasquez's right eye early. With blood streaming down his face the entire fight, Velasquez showed his grit as he fought a tough fight. Velasquez suffered a third cut on his left eyebrow later in the fight as well.
Despite all the blood, Velasquez was able to get the unanimous decision win over Castillo.
Now let's check out what ESPN+ had:
Mayer Gets the Nod Over Ryan
Mikaela Mayer (21-2) defended her WBO welterweight title against the woman she took it from, Sandy Ryan (7-3-1). The first fight was an all-action fight that grabbed headlines with Ryan having red paint thrown on while en route to the arena.
The rematch did not have as much drama as the first fight. No paint scandal and no all-out brawl. Instead, Ryan stayed patient and composed in the rematch. Both fighters had their moments, but Mayer was simply a class above. She controlled distance with a great jab, kept Ryan guessing with long, looping hooks, and was able to get the best of the inside exchanges.
Mayer seems to be coming into her own at 147 lbs after spending most of her career down at 130 lbs.
Norman's Fireworks Against Cuevas
Brian Norman Jr. (27-0-0), the youngest champion in boxing, returned to the ring after nearly 11 months off. Norman wasted no time in delivering a third-round knockout of Derrick Cuevas(27-2-1), who previously had never been stopped.
Norman should seek a unification fight with the winner of Boots Ennis against Eimantas Stanionis coming up on April 12th.
Shu Shu Carrington's Arrival
Bruce "Shu Shu" Carrington (15-0-0) feels like he is an early-twenties boxer who burst onto the scene. Unfortunately, he is actually 27 years old. Nonetheless, Shu Shu made a case that he is ready for a shot at the big names at featherweight.
Shu Shu scored a third-round KO of Eniruqe Vivas (23-4-0). Carrington came out with controlled aggression and landed big shots. A matchup against anyone in the top of the division would be interesting.
Vargas' Viral KO of Gonzalez
Emiliano Vargas (13-0-0) had the viral moment of the weekend with a highlight-reel knockout of Giovannie Gonzalez (20-8-2). This was a nice step up in competition for the 20-year-old super lightweight.