Next weekend, two of the most highly-rated and talented lightweights of the moment will return to the ring in two separate events. Former Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson, already a world champion in three weight classes as a professional, will defend his WBC world title at the Prudential Center in Newark against Armenian-German Artem Harutyunyan. On the same night, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, the indomitable destroyer William Zepeda will face American Giovanni Cabrera in what should be his last test before a world title shot.
Naturally, the fact that Stevenson and Zepeda are fighting on the same day, albeit in different locations, gives boxing fans hope that the two fighters will soon face each other. It would be a fascinating stylistic clash: on one side, Zepeda’s relentless attacks, accustomed to throwing an astonishing number of punches without giving his opponent any respite; on the other, Stevenson’s defensive prowess, a true master of dodging, distance control, and careful pace management.
Oscar De La Hoya, Zepeda’s promoter, recently highlighted this difference in style, poking at Shakur Stevenson for his habit of winning while minimizing risks, an aspect that makes him unpopular with some fans who love all-out battles. Ahead of Saturday’s double-header, De La Hoya addressed Stevenson directly with a post on X, writing: “Hey Shakur I guarantee William Zepeda throws more punches in his first round on Saturday than you do your entire fight.”
This strong and deliberately provocative statement seems aimed at generating early media interest in a possible Stevenson vs. Zepeda fight that could take place before the end of this year. While De La Hoya’s words might sound good to Zepeda’s fans, some have noted a certain similarity between his remark and one made by Ricky Hatton after defeating José Luis Castillo in 2007: “There was more action in those four rounds than you’d have had in Floyd Mayweather’s last half dozen fights.” Things didn’t go well for Hatton after that, so we’ll see if Zepeda can prove to be both the best and the most spectacular.