Pictured: Jose "Chon" Zepeda


Last night at The Bubble at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, TTR #8 ranked super lightweight contender Jose "Chon" Zepeda and underdog Luis Alberto "Venado" Lopez won ten-round bouts televised by ESPN. Zepeda grinded out a decision win over tough substitute opponent Kendo Castaneda in the Top Rank-promoted card's main event and in the card's co-feature, super featherweight Lopez won a split decision over heavy favorite Andy Vences.

The card was comprised of four other bouts, two of which were also nationally televised. In one, the 26-year-old "Fighting Pre-School Teacher" from Fontana, Californis, Gabriel Muratalla outpointed Las Vegas native Sergio Lopez while in the other, unbeaten 23-year-old Las Vegas lightweight Andres Cortes overcame adversity to earn a decision over Alejandro Salinas of Youngstown, Ohio. Muratalla was fighting at The Bubble for the second time. He TKOed Fernando Robles in the first round on June 11.

The bouts held before those televised by ESPN resulted in 20-year-old lightweight Eric Puente of Vista, California winning a majority verdict over 21-year-old Diego Elizondo of Carson City, California and San Diego's Genaro Gamez, 24, knocked out 26-year-old Reymond Yanong of Paranaque City, Philippines. Yanong was also making his second appearance at The Bubble, having won a split decision over Clay Burns on June 25.


Welterweight Bout-
Jose Zepeda (WBC #3, WBO #4, The Ring #7, TTR #8, Transnational Boxing Rankings Board #9- all at 140; 32-2, 2 NCs, 25 KOs)
Unan. Dec. 10
Kendo Castaneda (17-2, 8 KOs)
- The 26-year-old Castaneda of San Antonio, Texas was a substitute. Zepeda, 31, of La Puente, California, was originally scheduled to fight Ivan Baranchyk (The Ring #3, IBF #4, TTR #5, WBC #6, Transnational Boxing Rankings Board #7- all at 140; 20-1, 13 KOs). Baranchyk was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury while training.
- Both Zepeda and Castaneda weighed in at 143 3/4.
- The scores were 97-93, 98-92, and 98-92.

Super Featherweight Bout-
Luis Alberto "Venado" Lopez (Luis Alberto Lopez Vargas; 21-2, 11 KOs)
Split Dec. 10
Andy Vences (WBC #25; 23-2-1, 12 KOs)
- Lopez, 26, of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, weighed in at 128 1/4. Vences, 29, of San Jose , California, weighed in at 129 1/2.
- Lopez staggered Vences in round six.
- The scores were 96-94 for Vences, 96-94 for Lopez, and 96-94 for Lopez.

Lightweight Bout-
Andres Cortes (13-0, 7 KOs)
Unan. Dec. 8
Alejandro Salinas (10-4, 9 KOs)
- Both fighters weighed in at 132 1/2.
- Cortes overcame a deep cut over his left eye and a fourth round knockdown to pound out a deserved decision victory.
- The scores were 76-75, 77-74, and 79-73.

Super Bantamweight Bout-
Gabriel Muratalla (4-0, 3 KOs)
Unan. Dec. 4
Sergio Lopez (4-6-3, 0 KOs)
- Muratalla weighed in at 118 3/4; Lopez at 119 1/4.
- The scores were 39-37, 40-36, and 40-36.

Welterweight Bout-
Genaro Gamez (10-1, 7 KOs)
KO-1 2:59
Reymond Yanong (11-6-1, 9 KOs)
- Gamez, who previously fought as a lightweight and as a super lightweight, was fighting as a welterweight for the first time. He weighed in at 146. Yanong weighed in at 141 3/4.

Lightweight Bout-
Eric Puente (3-0, 0 KOs)
Maj. Dec. 4
Diego Elizondo (2-2-2, 0 KOs)
- Puente weighed in at 135; Elizondo at 135 3/4.
- The scores were 38-38, 39-37, and 39-37.