Shakur Stevenson Ready to Face William Zepeda: A Bold Move Hinged on Gervonta Davis vs. Vasyl Lomachenko
A Potential Game-Changer in Lightweight Boxing
In a significant development in the lightweight boxing arena, Shakur Stevenson has expressed his readiness to face the formidable William Zepeda. This bold step, however, comes with a condition: Gervonta Davis must finalize his bout against Vasyl Lomachenko. Stevenson, fresh off a unanimous decision win over Artem Harutyunyan, is eager to regain his momentum and silence critics who were unimpressed by his recent performance.
Despite his victory, Stevenson’s inability to stop Harutyunyan has sparked criticism, putting pressure on him to secure a high-profile win. During a candid interview on Cigar Talk with Naji, Stevenson outlined his next move: challenging Zepeda, the top-ranked lightweight across all four sanctioning bodies. This potential showdown could redefine Stevenson’s career trajectory.
Stevenson Questions Lomachenko’s Challenge
In the interview, Stevenson openly questioned why he couldn’t take on Zepeda if Davis proceeds with the Lomachenko fight. “Where is William Zepeda?” he asked, hinting at his readiness to face the tougher opponent. Stevenson asserted that Zepeda, known for his high punch volume, might present a greater challenge than Lomachenko, making their potential fight even more intriguing.
Stevenson’s comments came amid ongoing discussions about a Davis-Lomachenko fight later this year. Bob Arum, Lomachenko’s promoter, has been working diligently to finalize the bout. However, Stevenson remains skeptical about whether Zepeda would agree to fight him, suspecting that Zepeda’s team might be seeking an easier path to a title.
Where is William Zepeda?”
Shakur Stevenson confidently responded, stating, “If Tank [is] going to go fight Lomachenko, why can’t I go fight, maybe the harder fight? We don’t know.”
Promotional Hurdles and Skepticism
During the interview, Naji suggested that while Zepeda might be open to the fight, his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, could be a stumbling block. Stevenson dismissed this notion, emphasizing the close relationship between Zepeda and De La Hoya. “They [are] close enough where you could go sit down with him, [and ask,] ‘Can we make this fight happen? What I got to do to make this fight happen?’” Stevenson argued that Zepeda and his camp might prefer a more favorable title fight.
This isn’t the first time Stevenson and Zepeda have made headlines. In March, as Stevenson searched for an opponent, De La Hoya suggested on social media that Zepeda was eager to fight him. Stevenson, however, accused De La Hoya of using his name to promote Zepeda.
Stevenson said, “That can’t be true though… Him and Oscar [are] close. They [are] close enough where you could go sit down with him, [and ask,] ‘Can we make this fight happen? What I got to do to make this fight happen?’”
Social Media Tensions
In a heated exchange on Twitter, De La Hoya stated, “Shakur, you said nobody wants to fight you. Well, check out William Zepeda on Saturday night on DAZN. He is begging me [that he wants] to fight you.” Stevenson responded by questioning the sincerity of De La Hoya’s claims, highlighting the lack of concrete progress toward arranging the fight.
As the year progressed, De La Hoya reiterated his intent to discuss a potential fight between Stevenson and Zepeda. However, Zepeda’s second fight of the year was against Giovanni Cabrera on the same date as Stevenson’s bout against Harutyunyan, further fueling speculation about De La Hoya’s true intentions.
Oscar De La Hoya hopped on X to say, “Shakur, you said nobody wants to fight you. Well, check out William Zepeda on Saturday night on DAZN. He is begging me [that he wants] to fight you.”
Stevenson wrote, “Yooo @OscarDeLaHoya, I still haven’t heard anything yet about Zepeda fighting me on July 6. How can you say my name over and over and not make the fight happen next? Were you using me to promote your fighter fight or?”
Looking Ahead
With the lightweight division in a state of flux, Stevenson’s willingness to face Zepeda adds an exciting dimension to the sport. While De La Hoya’s public statements and the lack of a formal agreement leave many questions unanswered, Stevenson’s determination to take on the toughest challenges remains clear.
Will Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda happen this year? The boxing community eagerly awaits the unfolding drama, as these negotiations could lead to one of the most anticipated matchups in recent history.
