Junior welterweight contender Jose Zepeda will face Francisco Perez on March 19, Zanfer Boxing announced Thursday afternoon. The 10-round bout will take place at the Gimnasio Municipal “Josue Neri Santos” in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and will air live throughout Mexico on Azteca 7.

It will be a stay-busy fight for Zepeda, who is ranked No. 3 by The Ring at 140 pounds. Zepeda (35-2, 2 no-contests, 27 knockouts), who resides in the Los Angeles suburb of La Puente, made quick work of Josue Vargas in his last bout on October 30, dropping him twice before ending matters in the first round.

Zepeda was involved in the Fight of the Year in 2020 against hard-hitting Ivan Baranchyk in October 2020, overcoming four knockdowns to stop Baranchyk in the eighth round. Zepeda also dropped Baranchyk four times during the fight.

The 32-year-old has twice challenged for a world title belt, losing on both occasions. Zepeda lost by majority decision to then-WBC junior welterweight titleholder Jose Ramirez in February 2019. He suffered the first loss of his pro career to then-WBO lightweight titleholder Terry Flanagan in July 2015 after suffering a dislocated left shoulder during the second round that forced him to quit on his stool.

Zepeda, who is co-promoted by Top Rank and Zanfer Boxing, has won his last five bouts.

Perez (18-12-1, 13 KOs) has not fought since losing by knockout to Hector Reyes in June 2019 in his hometown of Zihuatanejo, Mexico. He has lost six of his last nine bouts, including knockout losses to fringe contenders Yves Ulysse, Jr. and Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela.

In the co-feature, unbeaten junior welterweight Carlos Sanchez will square off against fringe contender Pedro Campa in a 10-round bout.

Sanchez (22-0, 18 KOs), who resides in San Felipe, Mexico, knocked out Jose Espinoza Jaramillo in his last bout on January 15. The 26-year-old has stopped 10 of his last 13 opponents.

Campa (33-1-1, 22 KOs) stopped previously-unbeaten Abdiel Cruz Bautista in the sixth round of his last bout on August 28 in his hometown of Hermosillo, Mexico. The 30-year-old is unbeaten in his last seven bouts since losing by knockout to journeyman Carlos Jimenez in October 2017.

Also on the Zanfer Boxing card, Jesus Riegos (15-0, 12 KOs) will face Israel Rodriguez Picazo (23-5, 15 KOs) in an eight-round bout featuring junior featherweights from Mexico.

Marcos Gonzalez (20-2, 11 KOs) of Ciudad Juarez will square off against Sergio Puente (28-13, 12 KOs) of Guadalupe, Mexico in an eight-round lightweight bout.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing