Rafael Espinoza Zepeda

Rafael Espinoza Zepeda is a Mexican featherweight who has risen to prominence as the WBO World Featherweight champion. Fighting out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, the orthodox southpaw—listed under the nickname “El Divino”—combines a high stoppage rate with experience on both Mexican and U.S. cards. At 185 cm with a 188 cm reach, Espinoza has compiled an undefeated professional ledger that underpins his standing at the top of the division. Espinoza’s recorded professional career begins in 2013, when he opened his run with a TKO victory over Víctor Valadez. Over the next decade he established himself as a finisher, compiling a string of early stoppages across venues in Mexico and the United States. Highlights from his rise include knockout and technical knockout wins at regional showplaces such as the Domo del Parque San Rafael and Arena Coliseo, and a 10-round unanimous decision in January 2021 at the Grand Hotel in Tijuana that demonstrated his ability to go the distance when needed. The defining moment of Espinoza’s career arrived on December 9, 2023, when he captured the WBO World Featherweight title by majority decision over former amateur standout Robeisy Ramírez in Pembroke Pines, Florida. That victory gave Espinoza a world championship and set the stage for a string of title defenses that have reinforced his position in the 126-pound division. Since winning the belt, Espinoza has recorded multiple defenses. He retained the WBO crown with a fourth-round TKO against Sergio Chirino Sánchez in Las Vegas (June 21, 2024), then stopped Robeisy Ramírez in a December 7, 2024 rematch at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. In 2025 he continued to answer the call on big stages, defending his title with a seventh-round TKO of Edward Vazquez at T-Mobile Arena (May 4, 2025) and an 11th-round TKO of Arnold Khegai in San Luis Potosí (November 15, 2025). Across 28 professional outings Espinoza remains undefeated with 24 stoppage wins, a record that speaks to both his power and finishing instinct. His resume combines early domestic development with high-profile world-level work since late 2023, and his title defenses through November 15, 2025, mark him as an active championship presence in the featherweight ranks. As the WBO World Featherweight champion, Espinoza sits firmly among the division’s current titleholders, defending the belt while maintaining an unblemished record.