5 Burning Questions for Stevenson-Zepeda
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With a new wave of American boxing talent emerging, the landscape is shifting fast. Established stars are facing setbacks inside and outside the ring, leaving the door wide open for someone to claim the spotlight. Shakur Stevenson stands at a crossroads, poised to capitalize on this moment but facing a stiff test against the relentless William Zepeda.
In this series, we tackle five burning questions surrounding Stevenson’s career, his toughest opponents, and the future of American boxing. Will he rise above the chaos and cement his place as the face of this generation? Or will the challenges ahead expose the gaps in his game? Let’s break it down.
#1. Is William Zepeda the toughest opponent Shakur Stevenson has faced at this point of his career?
Lee: A quick look at Stevenson’s record shows some notable names. He’s faced Oscar Valdez, Jamel Herring, and Edwin De Los Santos, all in title fights. Still, I believe William Zepeda will be his toughest opponent yet. Stevenson seems more fired up than usual, which shows how big this fight is for him. If he can back up his talk, it’ll be a win for fans who want to see action. Zepeda has been calling for this fight and will look to rebound from a close decision win over Tevin Farmer in March. Stevenson will be tested.
Evan: One of the biggest knocks on Shakur Stevenson’s career from many of his critics is that they will claim he doesn’t have any signature wins. To be fair to Stevenson though, he hasn’t had the most willing dance partners in terms of big named opponents lining up to face him. The trio Lee already mentioned are definitely his best victories so far. Primarily Óscar Valdez and Edwin De Los Santos, you can even throw Robson Conceição in there too. Those are all quality names, but arguably not that elite. So I am with Lee here, William Zepeda is probably the toughest test Shakur has faced to date. He’s a 29 year old undefeated interim champion, who has 27 KO wins, and a relentless offensive attack. Zepede’s going to be an intriguing and dangerous problem for Stevenson to solve.
#2. With several top names struggling recently, is now the perfect time for Stevenson to emerge as the face of this generation of American boxing?
Lee: This is tough because Shakur’s recent fights have been difficult to watch. Fans want action and knockouts, which he hasn’t delivered lately. A win here won’t make him the face of this generation, but he’ll still be seen as a star.
The 2016 Olympic silver medalist has done everything asked of him as a pro. Still, he needs to be more consistent and avoid settling for decision wins. His path to the top is clear and Stevenson has adjusted to every challenge so far. He still has a real shot at leading the next generation of American boxing.
Evan: I feel the timing is almost perfect for Stevenson to put a stamp on his placement at the top of this current generation of American stars. Especially given the way his counterparts have all failed to deliver recently or done things to sabotage their own stock within the sport.
It’s Shakur’s Chance to Lead
Keyshawn Davis was ascending as a star arguably more than any of them. But then had one of the most disastrous fight weeks I’ve seen in recent memory. He was stripped of his WBO title for missing weight, subsequently had his fight against Edwin De Los Santos cancelled, and then proceeded to jump Nahir Albright, following his victory over Kelvin Davis, Keyshawn’s brother. He’s shown no remorse for his actions either, which has only added fuel to the fire.
Meanwhile, Tank Davis has unfinished business with Lamont Roach Jr. to attend to and continues to tease a future clown show matchup with Jake Paul. Teofimo Lopez can’t stay off social media, where he consistently goes on racist rants. Ryan Garcia recently had surgery to repair an injury on his right hand and is coming off a flat out embarrassing loss to Rolly Romero. Lastly, that leaves Devin Haney who to his credit will be moving up to 147 pounds to take on undefeated WBO champion, Brian Norman Jr., in November.
On the other hand, Shakur has continued to handle his business inside and outside of the ring without being surrounded by controversy. While his fighting style might draw the ire of many fans, his talent is simply undeniable. If Stevenson is able to beat an opponent of Zepeda’s caliber in decisive fashion, and in an exciting fight, that would be a huge boost to elevate him above the rest of the crop of young American stars. He needs to strike while the proverbial iron is hot with the opportunity he has in front of him. The time is now for Shakur to separate himself from the rest of the pack.
#3. What will be the biggest deciding factor of this matchup, Zepeda’s relentless offensive output or Stevenson’s defensive slickness?
Lee: I don’t think Zepeda’s output or Stevenson’s defense will decide the fight. Instead, Stevenson’s offense will be the key factor. He has incredible speed and sharp technique, and he’s warned that his power is underrated. Don’t be surprised if Zepeda gets caught and possibly hurt during the fight.
Zepeda’s pace and willingness to fight on the inside will force Stevenson to engage more than usual. As a high-volume puncher, Zepeda will test Stevenson’s defense. However, Stevenson must also challenge Zepeda’s heart and defense with his own offense. This matchup has the potential to be a fight of the year contender.
Evan: Lee’s makes an astute observation in pointing out that Stevenson’s offense could have the potential to be the biggest deciding factor of the outcome of this fight. If Shakur is able to punish and hurt William, it’s going to be immensely impactful in slowing down his absurd offensive output and volume. That will go a long way for Stevenson in extinguishing the danger Zepeda will present to him overall.
I’m fascinated by the stylistic contrast of these two as well. You’ve got a defensive maestro taking on an offensive berserker. Per CompuBox, Stevenson ranks first in…
- Plus/minus rate (21.1)
- Fewest opponents punches landed per round (5.4)
- Lowest opponents total connect percentage (14%)
- Lowest opponents total power punch connect percentage (17.5%)
On the flip side, Zepeda ranks in the top two in…
- Average total punches thrown per round (93.9)
- Average total punches landed per round (31.3)
- Average jabs thrown per round (38.5)
- Average jabs landed per round (8.1)
- Average power punches landed per round (23.2)
The interplay of that battle between the two will be fantastic to watch. Shakur’s stifling, slick, crafty defensive ability colliding with William’s chaotic, high paced, offensive onslaught is what makes this fight so intriguing.
#4. Who needs an impressive win and showing more, Edgar Berlanga or Hamzah Sheeraz?
Lee: Edgar Berlanga needs a strong performance to stay relevant as a future star. Since losing to Canelo Alvarez, he’s only fought once, knocking out an overmatched opponent. Sheeraz is moving up to 168 pounds and feels overlooked after his last fight. Berlanga is aiming for a rematch with Canelo, though it likely won’t happen. Professionalism is key, including making weight, which Berlanga failed to do last time. He must win both on the scale and in the ring to remain in contention. Another loss would cement him as the fighter defined by his one-sided defeat to Canelo.
Evan: I’m just going to be extremely candid and brutally blunt, I don’t care about this fight at all. I feel that Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz are two of the most overhyped fighters currently in boxing. Berlanga is flat out delusional about his own ability and star power. The way he’s handled the Canelo loss and the excuse making he’s utilized to justify his performance in that fight, seems to have been quite off putting to most fans.
Sheeraz on the other hand to me is being elevated by his connection to Turki Alalshikh, rather than because of his actual merit or skill. Plus, he definitely should’ve lost his last outing to Carlos Adames who was flat out robbed of a victory in Saudi Arabia. Frankly they both are in desperate need of an impressive win. However, neither of them have ever beaten anyone of substantial quality, and a victory for either won’t change that in my eyes.
5. Which other fight or fighter on this card should people be paying attention to?
Lee: Alberto Puello! The southpaw from the Dominican Republic will defend his WBC super lightweight title against the explosive Subriel Matías. Puello isn’t known for knockout power, but his fight IQ, discipline, and use of angles often frustrate opponents. His tactical style will be tested against the relentless pressure of Matías.
To win, Puello must control distance and prevent Matías from planting his feet to land big shots. He fights smart, using his strengths to limit his opponent’s volume and pressure. A convincing victory over Matías would help silence the doubt.
Evan: I’m going to pick David Morrell Jr. I think a lot of fans have sort of forgotten how awesome his fight with David Benavidez was back in February. It’s still one of the best scraps we’ve seen this year, and although he suffered his first career loss, Morrell Jr.’s performance raised his stock immensely. He stood in the fire against an offensive juggernaut like Benavidez, decided to mainly trade toe to toe in the pocket, and held his own.
The Cuban star also rocked the Mexican Monster in a way we haven’t really seen before. While it maybe wasn’t the best strategic approach for him to win, even in defeat Morrell Jr. earned a ton of respect from the boxing community for what he showed against Benavidez. He’ll now face undefeated Russian slugger, Imam Khataev, who has a 90% finish rate so far in his career. This is a fantastic opportunity for Morrell Jr. to deliver yet another exciting fight and finish against a relatively dangerous opponent.
It’s a chance for him to remind boxing fans why he’s one of the most unique and fun young stars fighting today. A win here puts him right back in the mix for big matchups at either 168 or 175 pounds.
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