Shakur Stevenson will defend his WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda. The WBC has ordered the fight, giving both camps 30 days to negotiate before a purse bid on May 6.
Stevenson, the current WBC lightweight champion, has changed his tune about facing Zepeda. He previously turned down the proposal, but now he's ready to step in the ring with the No. 1 contender.
"Honestly, Zepeda is a great fighter. I have nothing bad to say about him, but hopefully we get this fight," Stevenson said.
The champ didn't stop there. He made it clear that Zepeda needs to accept the fight or risk losing his interim title.
"Of course. I know he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. If he doesn't fight me, he's the interim champion and he'll lose his interim title. So if you want to become the regular champion, the real champion of your category, you have to go through me."
Stevenson's newfound eagerness comes after fans accused him of avoiding the fight. Previous negotiations stalled over purse disagreements, but now things are moving forward. Turki Alalshikh has even offered to put up money for the bout.
Eddie Hearn, Stevenson's promoter, feels good about finalizing the fight without a purse bid. He's eyeing Newark, New Jersey as a potential venue.
"We would always prefer to reach an agreement. I think we can do it," Hearn stated.
Matchroom and Golden Boy are working to strike a deal before the May 6 deadline. If they can't agree, the WBC will hold a purse bid.
Stevenson is ready to go whenever Zepeda accepts.
"Whenever, whenever, whenever they're ready. I like July, August, September, whenever, whenever," the champion declared.
The ball is now in Zepeda's court. He must accept the fight or risk losing his interim champion status. Fans are eager to see if this long-awaited matchup will finally happen.
