Promoter Eddie Hearn says William Zepeda will “duck” Shakur Stevenson in early 2025 reasonably than taking that struggle. He doesn’t say why he thinks Zepeda would do this as a result of he’s been exhausting, climbing the ranks to problem Shakur for his WBC light-weight title.
Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) isn’t the sort to duck anybody, contemplating he’s been calling out Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) for the reason that New Jersey native received the WBC 135-lb belt final November.
It will likely be an enormous letdown for Hearn if Zepeda knocks out Shakur as a result of he signed him to an costly two-fight take care of Matchroom with the concept of establishing for a mega-fight towards Gervonta Davis in 2025.
What Hearn ought to do is match Shakur towards a weak opponent like Joe Cordina when he comes again from his hand surgical procedure in early 2025 after which make the struggle with Gervonta Davis in mid-2025. Shakur can beat Cordina.
Hearn has been speaking about turning Shakur right into a “world celebrity” in a short while, making some followers ponder whether he’s really watched him struggle earlier than. If Hearn had watched Shakur struggle, he’d know he’s deadweight and never somebody able to beating Zepeda, Tank David, Abdullah Mason, or Vasily Lomachenko.
Shakur hasn’t proven the power to be a star of any type. Proper now, he’s only a man who received the WBC title in a struggle that was booed nonstop towards Edwin De Los Santos final 12 months. He’s solely fought as soon as since, laboring to a uninteresting 12-round determination towards the light-hitting Artem Harutyunyan, who was coming off a loss to Frank Martin.
Zepeda’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy, needs Stevenson and views him as very beatable for the Mexican knockout artist. The 28-year-old Zepeda is rated #1 with the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO at light-weight.
Subsequent month, Zepeda is taking up the artful former IBF tremendous featherweight champion Tevin Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs) as a tune-up opponent on November sixteenth on “Latino Evening” at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“In my view, Zepeda will duck Shakur,” stated Eddie Hearn to Combat Hub TV, predicting that William Zepeda will swerve a title shot towards WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson in early 2025.
Hearn might find yourself wishing that Zepeda ducked Shakur, given this struggle might go badly for the WBC 135-lb champion. Shakur barely beat Edwin De Los Santos final November, being compelled to maneuver to all evening in a struggle that might have gone both means. Zepeda is much better at chopping off the ring than De Los Santos, and he’s going to be attacking your entire evening.
In Shakur’s final struggle towards Artem Harutyunyan, we noticed that he lacks the offensive abilities to face his floor together with his opponents at light-weight and is compelled to maneuver. Shakur received’t final any longer than Giovanni Cabrera, Maxi Hughes, and Mercito Gesta if he stands and fights Zepeda.
“Pay attention, it’s his greatest shot proper now. Shakur is coming off the hand operation, and he’s going to be coming straight again into the struggle. Zepeda has obtained the warmup struggle towards Tevin Farmer [on November 16th]. It’s a pleasant model to gear up for Shakur. I don’t assume Oscar [De La Hoya] will do it. It’ll eat him up too dangerous,” stated Hearn.
Hopefully, Hearn isn’t banking on Zepeda ducking the struggle towards Shakur as a result of that can most likely not occur. Why would Zepeda duck a struggle towards Shakur and miss out on his quickest path to a world title?
It’s not like Gervonta will give Zepeda an opportunity to struggle for his belt or IBF champ Lomachenko. If Zepeda doesn’t make the most of this chance to struggle Shakur for his belt, it might take years for him to get one other probability.
