Shakur Stevenson Targets Early 2025 Showdown Against William Zepeda

WBC lightweight champion eager for a comeback despite injury setbacks

Shakur Stevenson is anticipating William Zepeda Fight early next year /

By Moses Ochieng

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson took it to social media to say that he “can’t wait” until his planned fight against William Zepeda, happens in early 2025. Stevenson is currently nursing a hand injury that he suffered while training for a fight against Joe Cordina scheduled for October 12th in Riyadh, and had to withdraw.

The Joe Cordina bout was a fight that Shakur’s promoter Eddie Hearn had set to prepare him to face the #1 contender William Zepeda in early 2025 and create fan interest for a potential unification match against WBA ‘regular’ lightweight champion Gervonta Davis. Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs), who is now out of commission, is making bold claims on social media which he never does while healthy.

Three-division world champion Shakur Stevenson's last two bouts, against Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin De Los Santos, were heavily criticized, with fans at ringside loudly booing both fights and social media users expressing their disappointment.

Despite this, Eddie Hearn believed Shakur was still a valuable addition to his Matchroom promotional company. Hearn has discussed plans to make Stevenson a "global superstar," which some believe indicates a disconnect from what U.S. fans find entertaining.

Shakur Stevenson, 27, has struggled since moving up to the 135-lb division in 2023, with injuries becoming a recurring issue. After his lackluster performance against Edwin De Los Santos last November, Stevenson attributed it to being injured. Fans were skeptical of his excuse, as it seemed consistent with his usual fighting style.

However, if he truly was injured, it suggests he may not be physically suited for the lightweight division. The tougher, stronger fighters at 135 lbs may be taking a toll on his body, and a move back down to super featherweight could help him regain his health.

After much speculation that William Zepeda will destroy him, Shakur Stevenson went on his X account and said, "Yooooo I swear I can’t wait til fight day."  However confident the young champion is, if Hearn proceeds with the plan to match him against Zepeda, it’s another challenging fight that Stevenson could potentially lose.