Stevenson vs Zepeda - William Zepeda claims one punch can stop WBC lightweight champion

William Zepeda is confident that one particular punch could be what's needed to beat WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. 

On Saturday night, live on DAZN PPV, Zepeda challenges for his first world title at New York's Louis Armstrong Stadium against an opponent who is considered to be one of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters.

While Zepeda will be feeling the pressure, it will be nothing compared to Stevenson who is eager to prove that he is an exciting fighter who fans need to watch.

Stevenson's past few performances have been criticised by some for being boring with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh stating he no longer wants to see any 'Tom and Jerry' style contests. 

Stevenson is someone who relies on his movement inside the ring to keep out of his opponent's reach, but fans are hoping Zepeda can be someone who can draw Stevenson into a firefight. 

The Mexican is known for his hard-hitting style and high volume of punches, and speaking to DAZN, Zepeda explained how he has been preparing for someone as elusive as Stevenson in training camp. 

"We worked a lot on agility and reaction because Shakur’s style is based on a lot of boxing and movement," Zepeda said.

"We used a lot of Colombians, Cubans and Mexicans with Shakur’s boxing style. Most of my sparring partners were from the Cuban national team."

 

Thumping body punches have played a vital role in Zepeda's 27 knockout wins on his 33-0 professional record, and he believes success to the body could be what's needed to overcome Stevenson. 

But while Zepeda will be looking to utilise his ability to throw plenty of punches throughout the fight with Stevenson, he acknowledged that his activity inside the ring will need to be smart and measured. 

"This is a very important factor because we know body shots take away the agility and mobility, and those are the tools which Shakur Stevenson has," Zepeda said about the importance of targeting the body before discussing punch volume.

"That is definitely something I want to capitalise on, work with the volume, but without being careless.

"Shakur Stevenson is a great counter puncher so I’m planning on just using my volume, but I have to be smart."

Watch the Ring III live from New York exclusively on DAZN PPV, Saturday, July 12. Buy the PPV now here