Shakur Stevenson was on his hind legs, recalling how he told William Zepeda’s trainer, Jay “Panda” Najar, at the kickoff press conference last May, that he’s going to “crush” Zepeda on July 12th in Queens, New York.
Stevenson vs. Zepeda Ring Size
He needs to be more worried about how he’s going to get away from Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs) in the 18-foot ring that Turki Alalshikh will have for the July 12th event at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. It’s going to be near-impossible for WBC lightweight champion Stevenson to knock out Zepeda if he’s busy trying to evade him in that small ring.
Shakur’s Zepeda “Crush” Talk
Stevenson didn’t say what his “crush” prediction means in real terms. It could mean Shakur intends to turn the fight into a track meet and aim for a wide 12-round decision win. That would be more believable.
“So, we’re facing off, and he sees me giving this nice boy act, acting real nice. Then I see him looking at the crowd and putting his hand up like he’s going to shut them up,” said Shakur Stevenson to Ring Magazine, talking about his face-off with William Zepeda during the kickoff press conference on May 15th in New York.
Zepeda was telling Shakur’s crowd to be quiet because he’s going to do a number on their hero on July 12th by running him out of the ring. He already predicted that Stevenson wouldn’t have the courage to stand and fight him like Tevin Farmer did.
That’s not just talk. Shakur isn’t as powerful, tough, or as bold as Farmer. He’s not as big as either. Stevenson is a 100% runner, whereas Farmer is a boxer/puncher. That’s why he was able to drop Zepeda in the fourth round in their first fight last November.
Zepeda’s Power, Shakur’s Fragility
“When he said that, I’m like, ‘Panda, tell Zepeda I’m going to crush you.’ I wanted him to know that I’m going to crush him. I’m f**** him up, dog. He’s a great fighter. I’m not taking nothing away from him, but he’s just running into me at the wrong time,” said Stevenson.
With a 47.83% KO rate, it’s unlikely Shakur is going to be knocking out Zepeda on July 12th. What little power he has is diminished by his glass hands. Stevenson isn’t built for slugging with a high-volume puncher like Zepeda. He’s too fragile, and even if his hands weren’t brittle, he’d be too weak to trade power shots with the Mexican knockout artist.
Last Updated on 06/22/2025
Read the full article here