It has been a while since New York City has hosted a notable boxing event of a particular level since the pandemic had begun. Well on Saturday, the famed Madison Square Garden will play host to an intriguing Junior-Welterweight bout featuring a perennial top contender, and a young promising prize-fighter looking to bring notability to his name. Ring-Magazine ranked #3 contender 🇺🇸Jose “Chon” Zepeda (34-2-0, 26KO) will attempt to maintain his rank positioning against a young, hungry fighter such as 🇵🇷Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (19-1-0, 9KO) for the latest installment of the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry, when you factor in Zepeda’s blood lineage over his geographical roots.

If you’re one that is intertwined with watching full boxing cards through and through, then Vargas should be a familiar face, as the 23 year old talented Puerto Rican boxer routinely impresses onlookers with his performances. Even though Puerto Rico has had a drought, 🇵🇷Jonathan Gonzalez broke the title curse on Puerto Rico, becoming WBO Light-Flyweight Champion, but there is certainly more room for the young talent to finally step up and make their presence felt to one day join in that company.

This will be Josue’s step up opportunity that points him in that direction, and he will look to lock in, and capitalize on the moment in front of his adoptive home crowd, taking up residence in the Bronx.

As for Zepeda, two bouts ago, he and 🇷🇺🇧🇾Ivan Baranchyk produced a war for the ages that will forever be intertwined in the minds of those engulfed, or inspired by this era of boxing. Naturally after a war like that, you wonder if both combatants would ever be the same coming out of it. So far, the answer for both has been no…as Ivan lost his last fight to 🇺🇸Montana Love (though Love’s skills had a big part in that result), and Zepeda looking sluggish and lethargic, barely getting past career journeyman 🇺🇸Hank Lundy last time out.

Perhaps this bout against Josue Vargas will be a more accurate litmus test of where the 32 year old stands, as he is forced in this situation to rise up for what will be a dangerous test from a very capable fighter.  You know the venue, and you know the date. Of course, this is a Top-Rank promotion, which means that the fight will headline a card broadcast by ESPN+ live streaming application.

To be precise, it will take place at the Hulu portion of Madison Square Garden in the small room. The winner of this fight will further bolster himself into position to either fight for all 5 world titles for the Undisputed Junior-Welterweight Championship…or to put himself in line for a vacant title shot…of course depending on what Undisputed World Champion 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Josh “Tartan Tornado” Taylor wants to do.