Shakur Stevenson Dominates William Zepeda and Retains World Title
In a masterful boxing exhibition, Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) demonstrated his superiority over William Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, retaining his WBC lightweight title with a unanimous decision. The scorecards reflected Stevenson’s clear victory, with two judges scoring 118-110 and one with 119-109. After being relegated to the co-main event, Stevenson responded to the demands of Turki Alashikh, who was looking for more exciting fights. Stevenson, true to his promise, offered a dynamic and offensive performance.Throughout the twelve rounds, Stevenson stood firm, allowing Zepeda to throw a large number of punches, many of which were blocked on the arms and shoulders. Instead of retreating, Stevenson countered with body jabs, uppercuts, and precise combinations that undermined Zepeda.
Although Zepeda connected a strong right hand in the third round that seemed to wobble Stevenson, the champion controlled the fight with his superior technique. Zepeda, despite his persistence and volume of punches, gave Stevenson opportunities to counterattack. As the fight progressed, Zepeda slowed his pace, allowing Stevenson to take the initiative with hooks to the head and body. Although Zepeda was never seriously hurt, he was outboxed by the precision of the boxer from Newark, New Jersey. Stevenson’s performance confirmed his status as a top-tier boxer, capable of delivering an exciting spectacle when needed. He proved his worth with a clear victory over an opponent who was expected to pose a challenge.
