Shakur Stevenson will make a statement on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old southpaw returns to the spotlight this weekend, defending his WBC lightweight world title against fellow unbeaten contender William Zepeda at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.
We keep it direct here at FightsATW, so let’s not waste time.
Shakur Stevenson AKA “The Cerebral Assassin?”
Stevenson is among the most technically gifted fighters in the sport today. Is he the most thrilling to watch? Not always. Is he the most precise, cerebral boxer in the game? Very possible. Yet, despite his accolades, Stevenson still lacks that one defining performance—the kind that forces the entire boxing world to sit up and take notice. That changes Saturday night.
Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs), a three-division world champion, enters this bout with something to prove. In recent outings, he’s been criticized for a risk-averse style, particularly in his win over Edwin De Los Santos—a bout that drew a ruckus of boos due to its lack of action. But in February, we saw a different version of Stevenson.
In Saudi Arabia, Stevenson dismantled late replacement Josh Padley with a ninth-round TKO. Though Padley stepped in for Floyd Schofield (who withdrew due to illness), the performance offered a glimpse of Stevenson at his best. He remained in the pocket, slipped punches with surgical precision, and countered with authority. Padley, while not a household name, was unbeaten and coming off a convincing win over Mark Chamberlain. Against Stevenson, he was systematically broken down in scintillating fashion.
Will William Zepeda Cause A “Terremoto” in Queens?
Now enters Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs), a volume puncher with solid power and relentless pressure. But volume alone doesn’t win elite-level fights. Zepeda’s style is tailor-made for fireworks against a stationary target, but he struggles mightily against slick, elusive boxers. His controversial split decision over Tevin Farmer last November raised eyebrows, and although he won the rematch via majority decision in March, neither performance erased doubts about his ceiling.
Farmer, a skilled technician but well past his prime, exploited Zepeda’s defensive limitations with effective jabbing, lateral movement, and timely counters. Stevenson is far sharper than Farmer—faster, more defensively sound, and capable of switching gears at will. It’s also worth noting that Farmer was recently flattened in the first round by Schofield, further underscoring the gap in class between him and the sport’s upper class.
We’ve seen what Stevenson can do when faced with a come-forward opponent. His masterclass against Jamel Herring in 2021, in which he claimed the WBO junior lightweight title, is a blueprint. Expect a similar dismantling here.
Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda Prediction
Zepeda will undoubtedly charge forward with intensity in the early rounds, but Stevenson will gladly meet him in the center of the ring. He’ll control the tempo with his jab, punish the body, and gradually demoralize Zepeda with blistering combinations. He won’t run—he won’t need to. Zepeda will be right there for the one-sided beatdown.
This will be the performance that boxing fans have been waiting to see from Stevenson for the last number of years. Expect a dominant showing, capped by a ninth-round technical knockout that sends a loud, unmistakable message to the rest of the 135-pound landscape: Shakur Stevenson has arrived and he’s coming to take your belts and your soul.
Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda Betting Odds
Per DraftKings SportsBook, Shakur Stevenson is the favorite at -1200, and William Zepeda is the underdog at +700.
Shakur Stevenson: TKO/KO +220; Decision -200
Draw: +2000
William Zepeda: TKO/KO +1000; Decision +2200
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