Tevin Farmer was dressed up in Saudi garb as we speak for the ultimate press convention to let Golden Boy, Matchroom, and the media for counting him out for his combat towards light-weight contender William Zepeda on Saturday evening.
(Credit score: Golden Boy / Cris Esqueda)
Farmer took situation with the discuss of Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) going through WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson subsequent in a 5 v 5 card on February twenty second. He’s not taken critically as a result of his skillset doesn’t slot in for the light-weight division.
The previous IBF tremendous featherweight champion Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs) feels that they’ve gotten forward of themselves, “placing the cart earlier than the horse” in overlooking him, and he says he’s going to “spoil the plans.”
You may perceive why the Shakur vs. Zepeda combat is being deliberate, although, as a result of it is going to create a lot curiosity. Furthermore, Farmer, 34, doesn’t appear to be the identical fighter he as soon as was since shifting as much as 130.
Farmer and Shakur are aliens to the light-weight division, and their expertise don’t slot in. They’re like from Planet Neptune and don’t have any place in a 135-lb division the place you need to have the flexibility that neither is supplied with. They don’t have the proper instruments to beat pure lightweights like Zepeda and Tank.
On Saturday, Farmer will discover that out, and in February, Shakur will meet his future towards Zepeda. After Farmer and Shakur each lose to Zepeda, they need to do the proper factor and return from whence they got here by going again all the way down to tremendous featherweight.
Farmer Irritated At Being Counted Out
Like Shakur, who suffers from the identical downside, Farmer lacks the ability to dominate at 135 as he had at tremendous featherweight, and he has to depend on his protection.
That’s not sufficient to win on the highest ranges at light-weight, and Shakur may discover that out as properly when he will get in with Zepeda or Gervonta Davis. You could have a steadiness between offense and protection to exist with the sharks at 135.
William Zepeda: “I’m actually motivated for this combat. My preparation has been nice. I’ll proven you on Saturday what’s the Mexican taste.
Tevin Farmer: “On Saturday evening, it’s going to be a present that no person desires to overlook. They are saying that William Zepeda is without doubt one of the finest within the 135-lb division, which I agree, however you may’t be a high canine except you beat a high canine.
“On Saturday evening, he has his fingers full with Tevin Farmer. It’s loopy how I’ve been watching social media and searching throughout there. I see Golden Boy and Eddie Hearn selling this 5 v 5 with Zepeda vs. Shakur. I see that form of loopy if you’ve obtained a man like Tevin Farmer in entrance of him.
“Like they mentioned, ‘You by no means put the horse carriage earlier than the horse. I believe that’s a nasty transfer as a result of as soon as I beat him on Saturday, I don’t know what they’re going to have for Shakur. I’m not signed to Golden Boy, and I’m not signed to Eddie. We’re going to depart that there.
“November sixteenth, tune in. Your boy, Tevin Farmer, is again, capturing for a two-time world champion. Like I mentioned, I’m going to point out you ways USA do it.”
Tevin Lacks The Bodily Instruments To Win
Farmer could be taken extra critically if he wasn’t coming off a loss in his final combat towards Raymond Muratalla on July thirteenth, and Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz didn’t beat him in 2020. Zepeda simply defeated Diaz by a 12-round resolution in October 2022, and he would possible beat Muratalla.
In Farmer’s final combat towards Raymond Muratalla, he related on 109 of 446 punches for twenty-four.4%. Muratalla was restricted to 106 of 481 pictures for 22%. The explanation for the low percentages was because of Farmer’s protection. He shut down Muratalla’s offense, making him miss together with his energy pictures. In doing so, Farmer ruined his possibilities of successful by not connecting with sufficient pictures.
We may see the identical downside for Farmer on Saturday evening towards Zepeda if he focuses an excessive amount of on protection and never sufficient on offense. He’s obtained the identical downside Shakur Stevenson has. He’s all protection and no offense, relying on the judges to attain rounds based mostly on making his opponents miss fairly than touchdown punches.
