NEW YORK — Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) promised to carry his floor and ship an thrilling efficiency. The one factor he wasn’t in a position to do in opposition to William Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) was rating a knockout, however the WBC light-weight champion put collectively a boxing clinic to retain his title with a unanimous determination at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.
Two rating playing cards favored Stevenson 118-110 and one choose had it 119-109.
Turki Alashikh relegated Stevenson to the co-main occasion and demanded that there could be no “Tom & Jerry fights” for any occasions he places on transferring ahead. Stevenson listened and reminded those who Jerry routinely outsmarted Tom within the cartoons by setting traps and making the cat who pay for his errors.
Stevenson held his floor all through the twelve spherical affair, permitting Zepeda to unload a excessive quantity of punches and catching a majority of them on the arms and shoulders. However as an alternative of circling away, Stevenson used a jab to the physique, uppercuts and exquisite mixture punching that tormented Zepeda. Zepeda did handle to land a tough proper hand within the third that appeared to rock Stevenson however exterior of that, there was little to nothing of notice that troubled the champion.
Zepeda was undeterred and relentless together with his punch output, which allowed Stevenson loads of home windows to counter and punch by means of. By the center to late rounds, Zepeda slowed down simply sufficient for Stevenson to start out main the motion with hooks to the top and physique. Though Zepeda was by no means badly harm, he was severely outgunned by the terribly correct product of Newark, New Jersey.
Stevenson’s efficiency proved that he is undoubtedly important occasion materials and may be extraordinarily thrilling when deemed essential. He discovered it essential to show a degree tonight and did precisely that with a one-sided drubbing of a person who was thought to present him a problem.