A highly anticipated rematch is set to take place this Saturday in Cancun, Mexico, as part of the event organized by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Stepping into the ring for the evening’s main event will be local favorite William Zepeda Segura and American Tevin Farmer, who already clashed last November in Riyadh. On that occasion, Zepeda emerged victorious by Split Decision, with razor-thin margins on the scorecards: the two judges who awarded him the win saw him ahead by just one point! William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer 2 will have the WBC Interim Lightweight Title on the line.
William Zepeda: No Frills, Just Demolition!
The Mexican fighter is not one to mesmerize spectators with elegant footwork and continuous technical brilliance. However, his boxing style is incredibly effective and relentless, as the 32 opponents he has faced so far have learned the hard way. Zepeda often gives his rivals the illusion of being controllable in the early rounds, as his starts are not always the most explosive. But once he finds his rhythm, the southpaw wrecking machine unleashes suffocating pressure that very few in the world can withstand.
Known for his high work rate, Zepeda is one of the best body punchers in the sport today, making his approach even more exhausting and potentially lethal. Adding to his arsenal is an apparently granite chin, which so far only Farmer has managed to crack, scoring a knockdown in their first encounter.
Tevin Farmer: A Man Who Defies the Odds
After his first twelve professional fights, Farmer’s record stood at seven wins, four losses (two by TKO), and one draw. He had just been stopped in seven rounds by José Pedraza, and everything pointed to a modest career with little chance of glory. Yet, he never stopped believing that he would one day become a world champion, even as many doubted him.
Less than six years later, his dream came true: Farmer dominated Australian Billy Dib in front of a hostile crowd, capturing the IBF super featherweight world title. The talented 34-year-old American is not done surprising people, and four months ago, when everyone counted him out, he delivered a thrilling war against Zepeda, losing by a razor-thin margin and earning himself a rematch.
William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer 2: What Will Happen? Boxe Punch’s Prediction!
Our expectations for this rematch naturally depend on how we interpret their first fight.
Those who believe that Farmer did enough to deserve the victory in Riyadh and was unfairly treated by the judges will certainly give him a real chance of pulling off an upset—provided the judging panel in Cancun remains impartial, which, of course, is far from guaranteed.
However, I do not belong to that school of thought. Personally, I believe Zepeda deserved his victory last November and that the official scorecards were actually quite generous to Farmer, despite his impressive and unexpected performance.
The Philadelphia fighter landed the flashier, more eye-catching shots, including that fantastic knockdown in the fourth round, but he was outworked and likely given more credit than he deserved due to the judges undervaluing Zepeda’s relentless pressure, even if the Mexican was not at his sharpest.
A crucial factor that tilts the odds in Zepeda’s favor is that he will no longer be caught off guard. There are strong reasons to believe that Zepeda stepped into the “The Venue Riyadh Season” ring underestimating his opponent—expecting an easy win and, above all, believing that Farmer couldn’t hurt him, given the American’s lack of power even in the super featherweight division.
This time, “Camaron” will take his rival dead seriously, knowing he must deliver a clear and decisive performance to set up a showdown with WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. Zepeda wants to enter that fight as a legitimate and credible challenger in the eyes of the public.
Even though the night looks extremely tough for him, we can expect Farmer to once again push Zepeda to his limits. One of the American’s biggest assets is his inside fighting ability.
Despite not being physically dominant among the best lightweights, Farmer has mastered the gritty, technical craft of Philadelphia boxing. He excels in positioning himself correctly, rotating his torso and shoulders at the right moments, and gaining small but crucial advantages to avoid getting bullied on the inside.
An additional uncertainty concerns the mystery of the anti-doping tests that were not conducted in Riyadh. After the fight, Farmer claimed that he had repeatedly requested them loudly but was not accommodated, which suggests that he and his team received assurances on this matter before accepting the rematch.
I believe Zepeda will once again have to grind out a victory, fighting at a relentless pace for all twelve rounds. However, I expect his lead on the scorecards to be wider and less controversial than last time.
My prediction: William Zepeda wins by Unanimous Decision, with scorecards ranging from four to six points in his favor.