Shakur Stevenson, the WBC lightweight champion, is eyeing a bout against the undefeated rising star William Zepeda after witnessing his victory over Maxi Hughes last weekend.
Zepeda, with a perfect record of 30 wins and 26 knockouts, impressed Stevenson by defeating Hughes in a four-round bout at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Questioning Zepeda’s Ability
Stevenson has doubts about Zepeda’s skill level, considering he has not faced any top-tier opponents and was recently defeated by Hughes.
“How tough is Zepeda? 🤔 Can’t wait to find out. Let’s see Stevenson against Zepeda next,” stated Shakur, indicating his interest in the matchup.
Zepeda poses a challenge for Stevenson, who suffered a loss to Robeicy Ramirez in the 2016 Olympic final. In his last fight against Edwin de los Santos, Stevenson struggled despite winning a contentious decision.
Comparisons have been drawn between Zepeda and de los Santos, suggesting that Zepeda is a more formidable and aggressive opponent. If Stevenson stands his ground, he may face a similar fate as Hughes and Melsito Gesta. However, if he retreats, he risks both disapproval from fans and potential defeat.
Zepeda is not a mandatory challenger for Stevenson’s WBC title, but the matchup is desired as it could expedite Stevenson’s path to a world title shot. Known for his fearlessness, Stevenson quickly embraced the opportunity to face Zepeda.
Set Date for the Fight
Bob Arum, Stevenson’s promoter from Top Rank, is pushing for the Stevenson-Zepeda clash on July 6, with negotiations underway for the fight to be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
If the Stevenson-Zepeda showdown materializes, it is expected to attract significant attention and position the victor for a potential unification bout against the winner of the Vasily Lomachenko-George Kambosos Jr. fight.
