Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) put on a masterful performance against the relentless William Zepeda in the co-main event at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York on Saturday night.

The WBC lightweight champ retained his title in a crowd-pleasing battle, showcasing his sharp skills and boxing IQ in front of a raucous crowd.

‘Battle’ isn’t a word you’d usually associate with a Stevenson fight. His sublime defensive work from the southpaw stance has, until now, neutralised most opponents. It’s turned bouts into what some call bore fests. I believe his skills deserve appreciation, but I understand the need to entertain too.

Turki Alalshikh, who’s effectively running boxing right now, has echoed that sentiment in recent social media posts.

After the dismal Times Square card in May, where records were broken for the fewest punches thrown, Turki posted that he doesn’t want to see any more ‘Tom and Jerry’ fights. Whether he should be dictating how boxers ply their trade is another matter. But if you want the riches of Riyadh Season and Ring Magazine cards, you’ve got to entertain.

During the recent Jack Catterall vs Harlem Eubank fight, Turki again showed his newfound comedic prowess, calling the lacklustre affair ‘Jerry vs Jerry’.

So what better way for Stevenson to show off his full arsenal than a matchup with Zepeda. One thing’s guaranteed with Zepeda: action. He only knows one way to fight. On the front foot, true Mexican style.

The fight played out as expected. Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) pressed from the opening bell, throwing to head and body, forcing Stevenson onto the back foot.

Stevenson showed off his trademark defence, but added sharp-shooting attacks to complement it.

He perhaps backed onto the ropes a bit too often, but even then, when Zepeda attacked, Stevenson would lay back, shoulder roll, and parry his way out of trouble. He stayed in the pocket, avoided most of the punishment, and fired back in bunches.

The sweet science.

There was one brief moment of peril in round three, when Stevenson was caught flush by a stiff jab mid-attack. It knocked him off balance and left him rattled briefly, but it didn’t last.

You might’ve thought Zepeda was nicking rounds based on output alone. But from my view, and the judges’ view, while Zepeda’s effort was commendable, the quality work came from Shakur. Both defensively and offensively.

Stats don’t always tell the full story, but Stevenson landing 52% of his shots compared to Zepeda’s 28% says plenty about his accuracy on the night.

The judges scored it 119-109 and 118-110 twice. Harsh on Zepeda, perhaps. But those calling for a draw were wide of the mark.

‘I proved that I’m a dog,’ Stevenson told Chris Mannix on the DAZN broadcast. 
‘That was one of the toughest fighters at 135lbs. He [Zepeda] came in and pushed me. He pushed me to another level.’

Stevenson is a real talent. Now 28, it’s time for him to chase bigger nights. Whether that’s unifying belts at lightweight in a mega-fight with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, or moving up to challenge stars like Teofimo Lopez. This is his time to stake a claim on the pound-for-pound list.

Images: Getty