Top Rank is back for more this week, and Queensberry Promotions returns in the UK.
ESPN, 8:00 pm ET, Jose Zepeda vs Kendo Castaneda, Andy Vences vs Luis Alberto Lopez. Zepeda, a top 10 guy at 140, was supposed to fight Ivan Baranchyk on this night, but Baranchyk has a reportedly minor injury; there was initially hope that it would be rescheduled for later in July, but instead Zepeda is keeping this date and facing Kendo Castaneda, a Texas fighter who has headlined some Roy Jones-promoted shows on UFC Fight Pass. He lost on Telemundo to Yomar Alamo earlier this year. He’s not a bad fighter or anything, but will rightly be a big underdog. As a short notice opponent, he’s a decent get. BLH will have live coverage.
ESPN, 8:00 pm ET, Carlos Takam vs Jerry Forrest, Carlos Castro vs Cesar Juarez. Another adjusted main event, as this was supposed to be Big Baby Miller’s return, but then, y’know, he Big Baby Miller’d again. Forrest is a decent opponent type of fighter — he really should have gotten a win over “top prospect” Jermaine Franklin on ShoBox — and I think he’s halfway dangerous here against Takam, a solid veteran fighter and another decent short notice get. Castro is an unbeaten 122-pounder, a little old as a prospect at 26, but has some skills. Juarez is a “young veteran” type at 28. He was decently competitive still with Ryosuke Iwasa last year, but at the end of the year was really given what’s for by Angelo Leo. We’ll see if Juarez is starting to go washed or if Leo is just as good as he looked that night. BLH will have live coverage.
ESPN+?, TBA, Brad Foster vs James Beech Jr. This definitely will be on BT Sport in the UK. Warren’s shows are always on ESPN+, but this isn’t on the ESPN+ schedule. That said, the ESPN+ schedule has been a bit iffy the last few months, so I really don’t know. Will adjust if/when it is added with a start time, and will have coverage if it’s listed ahead of time. Foster will be defending the British and Commonwealth titles at 122 pounds. BLH will have live coverage if the show airs legally in the US.
