Maxboxing 2020 Fight of the Year: Jose Zepeda vs. Ivan Baranchyk

To say that 2020 has been a strange year, the world over, would be an understatement of epic proportions. With talk of a Covid vaccine rolling out soon, people are excited that, perhaps, the world can get back to some level of normalcy before too long. Shortly after the global virus broke in the spring of 2020, fight fans were left wondering what the sport, if it existed at all in the short term, was going to look like. While many promotional firms were shut down, Las Vegas’ Top Rank Boxing set up a successful “Bubble” format in the MGM Grand that kept their fighters working and the game alive for boxing fans.

And, alive it was, on October 3rd when La Puente, California’s Jose Zepeda (33-2, 26 KO’s) took on Miami, Oklahoma-residing Russian Ivan Baranchyk (20-2, 13 KO’s) in a fight, that most fight will agree, was the “Fight of the Year”.

Coming into the fight, former world title challenger Zepeda was coming off of 2 wins and a close loss in a word title shot against WBC world super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez a year previous. Baranchyk was coming into the fight off of a win and a good showing in a decision loss to IBF super lightweight champion Josh Taylor the previous May. Both fighters were gunning for a victory to put themselves back in a good spot in line for another title shot. While most fight fans thought this was a good matchup, stylistically, and should turn into a good tussle, nobody was expecting what was to come.

With both fighters up and down like a fiddler’s elbow throughout the bout, and a surprising, vicious and violent end, this bout was all-action from the opening bell.

Baranchyk, all brawn and brawl, came out lunging for the fence with all his power shots and by rounds end had deposited Zepeda on the deck 2 times. While it looked like Baranchyk might use his size and strength to dominate Zepeda, there was a lot more two-way action in store.

Round 2 saw Zepeda start to inch closer by dropping Baranchyk but before he could enjoy that resurgence, he again found himself on the deck for the 3rd time in the fight. Round 3 didn’t give the knockdown judge any reprieve with Baranchyk getting dropped by Zepeda who, despite being down 3 times himself, seemed on strong legs.

Round 4 saw Zepeda even things up, at 3 knockdowns each, after dropping Baranchyk. Both fighters were showing a bit of wear from the back-and-forth assaults but despite Baranchyk being the more physically imposing of the two fighters, Zepeda seemed to be hurting him when he dropped him.

In round 5 Zepeda was sent reeling into the corner after what would have been a knockdown had he not been held up by the ropes. With Zepeda (assumingly) hurt by Baranchyk, the bomb-throwing, Oklahoma banger moved in looking to finish him. As the 2 fighters came together for yet another exchange (not long after getting dropped himself) Zepeda landed a fight-ending left on Baranchyk that sent him crashing to the canvas.

Promoter Bob Arum, in his 50+ years in the sport, (who, it is safe to say, has seen a few good bouts in his time), said after the fight, “One of the best fights I’ve seen since Foreman-Lyle. Plain and simple”. 

The only thing missing from the fight was a live audience that would have been going crazy. A combined 8 knockdowns in 5 rounds in a fight that was all fire and fury from both boxers. This give and take war, on the basis of action, drama and excitement was, without question, the “Maxboxing 2020 Fight of the Year."