Rafael Espinoza Zepeda (born April 21, 1994) is a Mexican professional boxer who has held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title since December 2023.
Espinoza turned professional in 2013 and had compiled a 23âÂÂ0 record by 2023. Before turning professional, Rafael Espinoza amassed only 11 amateur fights in his entire amateur career.
On December 9, 2023, at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Espinoza defeated Robeisy RamÃÂrez in a major upset by majority decision to become the new WBO featherweight champion.
Espinoza was scheduled to make the first defense of his WBO featherweight title against Sergio Chirino on June 21, 2024, at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. He won the fight by TKO in the fourth round, dropping the challenger three times in the first, third and fourth rounds.
Espinoza defeated Robeisy RamÃÂrez by TKO after six rounds when RamÃÂrez sustained an eye injury during a rematch at Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ on December 7, 2024.
Espinoza made the third defense of his WBO featherweight title against Edward Vazquez at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 4, 2025. He defeated Vasquez by TKO in the 7th round.