Shakur Stevenson kept his unbeaten record intact with a win over William Zepeda on Saturday night. The WBC world lightweight champion defended his title at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York, but the scorecards have caused some debate.
Stevenson, the 28-year-old American with a perfect 24-0 record, used his impressive boxing skills to keep the hard-hitting Mexican at bay throughout the 12-round bout. The judges saw it clearly in Stevenson's favor, with scores of 118-110, 118-110, and 119-109.
Oscar De La Hoya, Zepeda's promoter, shared his thoughts on the fight in an interview with Fight Hub TV. He felt the judges' scores didn't reflect the reality of the bout.
"It was a good fight, the scores were off but yeah Shakur did his thing, I think the first half was Zepeda's, the second half was Shakur's, you have to give it up to him."
De La Hoya's breakdown suggests a closer contest than the official scorecards indicated. He saw Zepeda taking the early rounds before Stevenson found his rhythm in the latter half of the fight.
Stevenson's successful title defense puts him in a strong position in the lightweight division. Boxing fans are now looking forward to potential unification bouts with other world lightweight title holders.
The dream fight for many would see Stevenson face off against Gervonta 'Tank' Davis. That matchup has got the boxing world talking, but it might have to wait. Davis is currently preparing for a rematch with Lamont Roach Jr, though an official announcement hasn't been made yet.
For now, Stevenson can celebrate another victory and look ahead to his next challenge in the competitive lightweight division.
