Eddie Hearn confirmed today that Shakur Stevenson July 12 is the date to defend his WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda on a ring card in New York. Hearn says Shakur (23-0, 11 food) met with Turki Alalshikh this week in America, and they “Worked out everything.”
Eddie says he will meet with Turki this week to discuss the Shakur-Zepeda match for July 12. This is the match that Stevenson has recently asked to create interest from fans for a unification between him and the WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis.
New York’s patience has been tested
The fight against Zepeda (33-0, 27 COs) could fall back on Stevenson, as he was going to force him to fight for the first time in his eight-year career. Zepeda cuts off the ring too well for Shakur to use its usual three-foot back style. If he chooses to run from Zepeda, he will be thrown from the venue in New York on July 12.
New Yorkers are not tolerant of runners. Natives in Newark are more patient to watch fighters who are not involved like Shakur, but New York fans are insisting on seeing action and getting value for their money. They will let him know what they think of his primitive style with a hit-and-not hit.
So, if Stevenson stays up for 12 rounds instead of standing and fighting as Tevin Farmer did against Zepeda, he will be bent loudly. Turki can live to regret using him for this battle because it is a poor style match for the fragile, defensive, non-pleasant Stevenson. He is better suited to fight light hits such as Josh Padley and Artem Harutyunyan.
“July 12 (for Stevenson against Zepeda). They’re going to do a show on Monday night. I believe so,” promoter Eddie Hearn said The bumpy ground On the agreed date for Shakur Stevenson to defend his WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda.
Jersey commute blues
Hearn did not say whether Shakur-Zepeda would be an undercard fight or the main liner on the 12-July ring card. It is risky to put it as the most important event, because the fans of Zepeda are on the West Coast in the Los Angeles area, not New York. Stevenson is from New Jersey, and it is unclear whether his fans would be willing to deal with the headache involved in commute to New York
“I know his excellence (Turki Alalshikh) met with Shakur Stevenson this week,” says Hearn. “They worked out everything, which is good news. It’s a wonderful battle, Shakur against Zepeda. We look forward to it. I know that July 12 would always be a proposed ring card in New York.
We will meet his excellence on Tuesday to discuss it, and the 5V5 and all kinds. I also look forward to welcoming him into the city, because it’s been a few weeks since I saw him. When you see him, that’s when the magic happens. So I’m looking forward to catching up all the guys this week, ”says Hearn.
Last updated on 04/19/2025
