WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson says he’s going to indicate followers that William Zepeda shouldn’t be on his degree for his or her proposed struggle on February twenty second in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Zepeda nonetheless should win his 10-round struggle towards the Shakur clone, Tevin Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs), this Saturday, November sixteenth, on the Latino Evening card at The Venue in Riyadh. Though the Zepeda-Farmer fighter seems to be the one being talked about probably the most of any struggle within the occasion, they’ll be competing on the undercard.
In the principle occasion, WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez faces WBO champ Chris Billiam-Smith in a unification, and within the co-feature bout are gentle welterweights Jose Ramirez and Arnold Barboza Jr. mixing it up.
Shakur may lose this struggle to Zepeda, because the 27-year-old Newark, New Jersey native hasn’t proven the identical capacity at 135 to dominate as he had at 126 and 130.
Zepeda Might Be Too Highly effective for Shakur
William Zepeda’s energy, excessive work charge, and physique punching will make it troublesome for Shakur to win their struggle with out getting fortunate on the scorecards.
Zepeda will clearly be trying to take the judges out of the equation to forestall winding up in the identical place that different fighters have dealing with the favored former Prime Rank fighter.
Stevenson lacks the ability to be a top-level fighter at light-weight, and he owes his WBC light-weight title to the judges who gave him a controversial determination towards Edwin De Los Santos final 12 months on November sixteenth, 2023.
Stevenson-De Los Santos ultimate punch stats
– Shakur: 80 of 444 punches thrown for 18%
– De Los Santos: 40 of 287 for 14%
Shakur’s fixed motion prevented exchanges, however De Los Santos landed tougher punches in each spherical. The Las Vegas followers at ringside for the struggle on the T-Cell that evening had been livid, booing each fighters from the fourth spherical. When Shakur was interviewed contained in the ring after the struggle, the gang continued to boo him, making it clear that they felt that he was the one which made it a uninteresting struggle.
It’s not simply Shakur’s lack of energy that might put him in bother towards a rugged, high-volume physique puncher like Zepeda. In that struggle, Shakur moved for 12 rounds, touchdown nearly nothing. It’s Shakur’s brittle fingers. He ruptured a tendon in his proper hand whereas coaching for a struggle towards Joe Cordina on October twelfth.
Shakur’s Brittle Palms
The struggle was canceled as a result of Shakur wanted surgical procedure. On July sixth, he injured each fingers throughout his title protection towards Artem Harutyunyan. Shakur received a 12-round unanimous determination, however his punching energy was weak, and followers started leaving the Prudential Heart venue midway via the competition. ESPN confirmed followers heading to the exit.
The unbeaten Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) shouldn’t be unaccustomed to dealing with opposition that followers really feel will beat him. So, he’s taking Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) as a private problem to indicate that he’s not in his league and that he’s going to highschool him in a method that may go away no doubts.
“I’m excited to carry out. I feel performing on the highest degree, on the degree that I really feel I ought to be acting at, issues probably the most. I’m going to go in and do what I obtained to do towards Zepeda,” stated Shakur Stevenson to Boxing Information about his proposed subsequent struggle towards William Zepeda on February twenty second.
We haven’t seen Shakur carry out at a excessive degree since he moved as much as light-weight a 12 months in the past. That’s the issue. Since transferring as much as 135, Shakur has fought 3 times and appeared common in two of the three fights towards these fighters:
- Artur Harutyunyan: A going away current from Prime Rank. This was Shakur’s final struggle together with his promoters earlier than changing into a free agent. So, he matched towards a weak puncher coming off a 12 months layoff and a loss to Frank Martin.
- Edwin De Los Santos: Questionable win for Shakur. On this struggle, Shakur confirmed no willingness to face and have interaction with De Los Santos. Virtually each punch that was landed by Shakur noticed him sprint away to flee being hit again, and the Las Vegas crowd was not joyful watching this mouse-like type. Shakur resembled a porch pirate with the best way he would land and run instantly. He didn’t belong in the principle occasion with that combating type.
- Shuichiro Yoshino: An obscure fringe-level fighter in Shakur’s debut at 135. It was fairly apparent why this man was chosen for Shakur’s first light-weight struggle, as Prime Rank wasn’t going to take any probabilities with him within the new weight class. He’s already appeared dangerous at tremendous featherweight towards Jeremiah Nakathilia and Robson Conceicao. These fights had been a crimson flag that Shakur would have issues combating at light-weight.
“I feel he’s a very good fighter. He’s good at what he do, however he’s not on my degree,” Shakur continued about Zepeda. “I do know there’s ranges to boxing. You’ve obtained to have the ability to assume a sure method, do a sure method and as soon as he will get in there, he’ll notice what he ought to already know.
“I can’t look previous what’s in entrance of me proper now. What’s in entrance of me is Zepeda. Hopefully, he handles his enterprise subsequent week [against Tevin Farmer]. That’s all I’m apprehensive about. All I fear about what’s in entrance of me, after which I can go on to what’s subsequent after that,” stated Shakur.
