Matchroom's March, April schedule set, includes Hitchins and Pacheco
Unification fight for an undisputed title being finalized; Mauricio Lara returns; cards added to ESPN+ calendar; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Matchroom Boxing and DAZN announced four new cards for March and April on Tuesday, including three in England and one in the United States.
Here is what is in store:
March 23 at Sheffield, England
Junior welterweight up-and-comer Dalton Smith will box in his hometown in a major step up in competition against former three-time world title challenger Jose Zepeda in the main event at the Utilita Arena.
Smith (15-0, 11 KOs), 26, is coming off a seventh-round knockout of Sam Maxwell in July to win the Commonwealth title and retain the British title.
Zepeda (37-4, 28 KOs), 34, a southpaw from La Puente, California, however, is far more accomplished than anyone he has faced even if he is 1-2 in his last three fights. Zepeda suffered an 11th-round knockout loss to Regis Prograis in their battle for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title in November 2022, which Zepeda followed with a 10-round shutout of Neeraj Goyat in March followed by a near-shutout decision loss to contender Richardson Hitchins in September.
In the co-feature, WBO women’s welterweight titlist Sandy Ryan (6-1-1, 2 KOs), 30, of England, coming off a heavily disputed draw with Jessica McCaskill in a three-belt unification fight in September, will make her second defense against WBA junior middleweight titlist Terri Harper (14-1-2, 6 KOs), 27, of England, who is moving down in weight.
Harper, who has a chance to win a title in a third division, is also coming off a draw, her’s against Cecilia Braekhus in an October title defense.
The card will also feature junior welterweight Campbell Hatton (14-0, 5 KOs), 23, of England, who is the son of Hall of Famer Ricky Hatton, versus countryman James Flint (13-1-2, 3 KOs), 26.
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