Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda in WBC Lightweight Title

Boxing fans are getting the good news on the occasion of the WBC lightweight boxing bout between two undefeated warriors. Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda will fight for the same lightweight championship belt, which Shakur Stevenson currently owns. This clash goes beyond the belt. It is more about the clash between the fighting styles. The nonchalant focus vs the fast-paced pressure could be a more accurate depiction of this fight. As the WBC’s current champion, Shakur Stevenson, is challenged to defend his title, fans are excited to see how far he will go for that. On the other side, we have Zepeda, a real threat to boxers when it comes to knockout moments. Will Zepeda dethrone Shakur and grab the belt? Or will Shakur defend himself against the undefeated legend? Can you guess it? Do yourself a favor by subscribing to our latest sports updates.

WBC’s Lightweight Championship – What Is It All About?

The WBC’s lightweight division represents professional boxing, showcasing athletes who compete at a weight limit of up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms). The lightweight championship symbolizes the pride and prestige of being the top fighter in the division. Reigning champion Shakur Stevenson stands as a commanding force, showcasing his dominance among the elite lightweights. Conversely, we have William Zepeda as the interim champion, who currently aims for Shakur’s title on July 12, 2025. The lightweight division is currently the most sought-after weight division as debutants often aim for this title. The peculiar nature of this division is that it offers both volume-punching and speed. Unlike heavyweights or flyweights, lightweight boxers can simultaneously be more flexible and strong. This trait of the lightweight division makes this sport more exciting. Consequently, it has created a categorized array of fighters based on their fighting style. Get our regular WBC updates and predictions.

Shakur Stevenson Fighting Legacy

Early Stage

Shakur Stevenson is an inspiration to young boxers as he attained such a magnificent stature at a very young age. He was known for his gradual growth in the boxing realm. Showing signs of resilience, aggression, and pace, he never steps back inside or outside the ring. Particularly, he has great footwork and fast reflexes. He drew heavy inspiration from veteran boxer Andre Ward. By the age of five, he was already throwing hooks and jabs through his grandfather Wali Moses’s training. Looking past his childhood, we can see his successful youth career as a boxer. He bagged a silver medal in the Summer Olympics, which drew the attention of professional boxing associations. Eventually, he entered his first professional boxing against Edgar Brito. In that match, Stevenson’s extreme athletic movements and precision made him an emerging boxing champion.

Professional Boxing Records

Shakur Stevenson continued to win in every match he participated in. To this day, he remains undefeated in all those 23 matches he fought. He got the Featherweight, Super featherweight, and lightweight titles, making him an icon among young boxers. In 2019, he got the WBO featherweight championship by outperforming Joet Gonzalez. Stevenson is famously known for his quick ending fights and frequent stoppages. Shakur’s one-punch knockdown is one of the famous boxing moves that is now his signature. In most of his matches, he ends the fight before the scheduled rounds through knockouts. He won and sustained the WBO featherweight and super featherweight titles twice. In 2023, he became the new WBC lightweight division champion and defended the title against Artem Harutyunyan. With three championships in hand, he stands as one of the formidable fighters in the boxing entity.

William Zepeda’s Influence

Zepeda’s Amateur Career

William Zepeda, also known as “The Shrimp,” is a professional Mexican boxer. He had a solid foundation in boxing before turning into a professional boxer. Zepeda was recognized for his high-pressure south paw stance. He built a reputation for his name among the top boxing associations. Zepeda had participated in numerous local contests and had won various titles. His fighting style didn’t come from major international bouts or professional training. Instead, he trained on the rugged local talent. He was noted by the coaches and local federations, allowing him to rise from the bottom. His style matured quickly and represented the hallmarks of a Mexican boxer. Before entering professional boxing, he had a record of 11-0, including nine knockouts. Though most of his amateur career details were unavailable, his name strongly represented the spirit of Mexican boxing culture.

Pro-Boxing Accomplishments

William Zepeda’s professional boxing records are a bit overwhelming compared to Shakur Stevenson’s. He holds 33 wins out of all the 33 matches he fought in. Zepeda can also be called “the knockout machine”. His above-average endurance and conditioning enable him to maintain a higher work rate. He often bursts in the opening rounds, aiming to drain his opponent’s stamina. Moreover, his ability to throw multiple punches in quick succession helps him land clean punches on his opponents. He strategically targets the body with hooks and uppercuts to inflict damage. Zepeda has one of the highest knockout ratios of 81%. He got the WBF Mexican Lightweight, WBC FECARBOX Silver Lightweight, and WBA Continental Americas Lightweight titles. And now, he is the current interim champion of the WBC lightweight title. Zepeda has a persistent pressure and high-volume punching that distinguishes him in the lightweight division.

Stevenson vs Zepeda – WBC Event Details

Main Event: Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda

Date: July 12, 2025 (Saturday)

Time:  09:50 p.m. EST | 06:50 p.m. PT | 07:20 a.m. IST (Next Day)

Venue: Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City, United States.

Where Can I Watch the WBC Lightweight Match

Get ready to watch the WBC lightweight battle between Stevenson and Zepeda live on DAZN. You can livestream the fight through pay-per-view with a subscription on DAZN.

Don’t miss the battle, in which one is obliged to protect his belt, and the other aims to grab it. Reserve this weekend to enjoy this compelling fight.

Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda – Fight Card

Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda (WBC lightweight)

Edgar Berlanga vs Hamzah Sheeraz (Super middleweight

Alberto Puello vs Subriel Matias (WBC super lightweight)

David Morrell vs Imam Khataev (Light heavyweight)

Shakur Stevenson Stats and Bio

Nationality: American

Age: 28

Height: 5’ 8″

Reach: 68″

Total fights: 23

Record: 23-0 (11 KOs)

William Zepeda Stats and Bio

​Nationality: Mexican

Age: 29

Height: 5’3″

Reach: 69.5″

Total fights: 33

Record: 33-0 (27 KOs)

Fight Style Review

Shakur Stevenson’s Past Performances

Shakur Stevenson has performed in a highly athletic condition in his recent performances. His speed, leg movement, precision, and defense were equally balanced. He possesses an extreme maturity in ring IQ. In a match against Shiuchiro Yoshino, he knocked down Yoshino multiple times and won in a technical knockout. Shakur’s speed and precision were too much to handle for Yoshino. When he fights against someone similar to his style, he often takes the offensive move and turns attacks into opportunities. In his WBC lightweight clash with Josh Padley, Stevenson maintained relentless pressure, skillfully deflecting heavy shots while launching sharp counters. He sent Padley to the canvas three times and secured a threatening UD. In the corners, he narrowed the opportunities for Josh and exploded with back-to-back body shots. His current form looks more balanced and exceptionally powerful, both in terms of defense and attacking ability.

Shakur Stevenson’s Fighting Style

Shakur Stevenson is the very definition of the famous quote from ALI. He moves swiftly and strikes intensely inside the ring. His strikes are calculated, powerful, and impactful. Particularly, his smart footwork brings more to the ring. Stevenson is the literal definition of power blended with strategy. As a southpaw stance boxer, Shakur has the advantage of delivering unexpected punches and hooks to his opponents. He often dictates the pace and leads the movement. Controls the stage with his momentum and forward movement. Even against Artem Harutyunyan, Stevenson managed to win by decision. Shakur either centers the stage and takes offensive moves or blocks attacks and turns them to his advantage. He psychologically maintains his composure and balance, which helps him to stay active for extended rounds. In addition, he has above-average stamina and endurance that enables him to stay proactive throughout the match.

William Zepeda’s Previous Performances

William Zepeda fought with a wide range of professional boxers. His style is composed of aggressive attacks that are proactive and relentless. In his last fight with Tevin Farmer, he controlled the stage with his quick footwork. He moved rapidly inside the ring, often cornering Farmer and landing continuous strikes and body shots. Zepeda continued to dictate the pace for most of the time and won a majority decision. In a match against Giovanni Cabera, Zepeda ended the fight with a knockout. He was completely aggressive inside the ring, which Cabera helplessly failed to block. Zepeda never allows his opponents to take the lead as he dominates the stage for the majority of the time. Though he employs a pressure fighting style, he commits occasional lapses. His ring IQ is decent enough in his last three matches. Considering his recent form, he is ready to fight Shakur in the upcoming WBC matchup.

William Zepeda’s Boxing Style

Zepeda is completely relentless inside the ring. With him dominating the pace most of the time, his opponents are allowed only to be reactive. His measured footwork is very familiar with the four sides of the ring, which he gets used to cornering his opponents so often. Zepeda effectively blocks the attacks and nullifies his opponent’s offense. He either lands body shots that are high-volume punches or creates opportunities for hooks and uppercuts. Moreover, he stays intact for longer durations due to his increased endurance and stamina. Zepeda prefers to hit more often than capitalize on opponents’ lapses. In terms of combinations, he comes up with unique combinations every time. It makes him more unpredictable in the corners, causing lowered defense from the opponents. Zepeda is a kind of fighter who never steps back and prefers to exchange blows straightforwardly. To know more about boxing analysis and predictions, follow bettinpremier.

Predictions

Shakur Stevenson’s Moves

WBC brings the game-changing night of the week on July 12, 2025. Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda will engage in a prestigious bout eyeing the WBC boxing lightweight championship. The expected WBC matchup will take place on Louis Armstrong Stadium, New York, at 09:50 p.m. EST. Let’s come to the predictions now. In the upcoming match, we can expect both of the fighters to engage in a fast-paced initial round. Shakur Stevenson especially has the finest defensive and offensive skills. He will try to take up the pace and disrupt the rhythm of Zepeda. We can also expect Shakur to be more in tune with his reflexes. His speed and footwork will easily outperform Zepeda in the middle rounds. Despite Zepeda’s initial efforts, we can expect Shakur Stevenson to collapse Zepeda’s defenses in the middle rounds. Combined with his ability to absorb punishments, he has a slight edge over Zepeda.

William Zepeda’s Moves

As Zepeda likes to engage in close-contact combat, he will try to close the distance and cut off at angles. Zepeda is likely to trap Shakur Stevenson along the ropes, cutting off his angles and drawing him into close-range exchanges. True to his pressure-fighting style, Zepeda will land back-to-back punches and hooks. But Shakur’s elite defense will absorb the punches and turn them into his advantage. Moreover, Zepeda heavily relies on the accuracy and economy of his punches. So, he will drain Shakur’s stamina through timely hooks and uppercuts. Zepeda is mindful of the rhythm and prefers to keep it to his favor. However, Shakur’s superior ring IQ and tactical awareness give him a distinct edge over Zepeda in strategic execution. His counterpunches and defenses will nullify Zepeda’s moves. So, Shakur will disrupt Zepeda’s rhythm and earn a stoppage in later rounds.

The Pick: Shakur Stevenson via KO/TKO.