Shakur Stevenson Vs. William Zepeda Tactics

Shakur Stevenson defends his WBC Lightweight Title against William Zepeda on July 12, as we look at how the fight could play out tactically. 

Stevenson makes his third defense of the title after securing the belt with a win against Edwin De Los Santos in 2023. Wins over Artem Harutyunyan and Josh Padley followed in two successful defenses. Stevenson is targeting the biggest fights, knowing a win sets up a possible unification with Gervonta Davis. Zepeda will present Shakur’s toughest test on paper. Zepeda is a knockout artist with a 31-0 record, with 27 KOs. Zepeda defeated Tevin Farmer in his last fight, as we look at how the fight could play out. 

Approach

Shakur will look to slow down Zepeda by targeting the body. Zepeda is a volume puncher, which is why Stevenson will want to disrupt his rhythm. Stevenson showed his body shot prowess in his last fight against Padley, as he broke him down before the ninth-round stoppage. Those shots will also allow Shakur to slip the guard with hooks and uppercuts to potentially set up a late stoppage. 

Stevenson could also stay in the pocket, using his reflexes to counter-punch. Tevin Farmer showed success doing that, as he was able to land his counters. Farmer got out of Zepeda’s jab in the fourth round before dropping him with a straight left in their first fight. Shakur could pick off Zepeda similarly, but he must be careful not to get caught. The pressure is on Shakur to get a win in style. He has been criticized for not exciting fans, putting the onus on him to take risks. However, in doing so, he must also be defensively sound, which has made him a three-weight world champion. 

Zepeda will look to use feints to get Stevenson to react before letting his hands go. The Mexican is a volume puncher, but he cannot attack in straight lines. Zepeda’s jab could be key, followed by feints, to mix up the attack to the body and head. Zepeda found success by targeting Farmer’s body and head. Much like Shakur, Farmer is known for being a slick boxer. A key part of this will be to start quickly. If Zepeda can rack up an early lead, he will force Shakur to press the action, perhaps opening up chances to land more.