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Shakur Stevenson can hardly wait to fight William Zepeda

Shakur Stevenson claims he is nervous and “can't wait” for his scheduled fight against No. 1 contender William Zepeda in early 2025. Stevenson is being cocky now as he recovers, but once he's healthy again, he might change his mind.

The Eddie Hearn-promoted Shakur is currently out of action battling a hand problem. WBC lightweight champion Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) is unavailable for action after undergoing surgery on his right hand for a training injury that derailed his title defense against Joe Cordina on October 12 in Riyadh.

Shakur, 27, was scheduled to headline the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol event on DAZN PPV, with Stevenson needing a clear win to get fans interested in a unification fight against WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis.

Three-weight world champion Stevenson's last two fights against Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin De Los Santos were terrible, with both fights being loudly booed by ringside fans and criticism on social media.

Surprisingly, Hearn still felt Shakur was worth signing to his promotion company Matchroom, talking about making him a “global superstar,” which to some may suggest he has no understanding of what U.S. fans consider entertainment.

Shakur's fighting style is considered entertainment in the UK, but not in the US. Americans are not interested in this archaic, Mayweather-like style.

Zepeda will face former super featherweight champion Tevin Farmer in a thrilling fight on November 16 at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

After this fight, Zepeda will be ready to challenge Shakur for his WBC title, provided he makes it through training camp without further injury.

If Stevenson goes through with the fight against Zepeda, it could end badly for him, as the Mexican power puncher has the strength and talent that he cannot handle.

Shakur hasn't looked good since moving up to the 135-pound class in 2023, and his injury problems make him a sick bay squad. Last November, Stevenson attributed his poor performance against Edwin De Los Santos to his injury.

Nobody believed Shakur because he always fought like that. However, if Shakur was really injured in the fight against De Los Santos, it shows that he is physically incapable of fighting at 135 without breaking down.

His injuries suggest that Stevenson's body cannot cope with the rigors of the lightweight division, where fighters are much stronger and more durable than those in the 126 and 130 weight classes. If Shakur returns to where he came from, super featherweight, he may be able to recover.

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