Recently, Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs), CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, told the media that if current WBC Lightweight Champion and three-division world champion American Shakur Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) is willing to sign with Golden Boy, he can arrange a big fight between Stevenson and Mexican prospect William Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs).
De La Hoya said, “I believe we have a real shot at signing Shakur Stevenson. It depends on what kind of fights I can bring to Shakur Stevenson and their vision. I promoted Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s (50-0, 27 KOs) 16 fights and have a lot of experience. Stevenson needs valuable opponents now, and William Zepeda is one of them. Shakur Stevenson’s situation is similar to Mayweather’s in his early career. If we give him the right opponents, we can recreate another Mayweather. Stevenson is incredibly talented, possibly one of the three best boxers in the sport today, and very young. I don’t know why he doesn’t have more clout now, why his path has been difficult.”
Shakur Stevenson said, “Zepeda is a very powerful boxer. I never even thought I’d be fighting someone like him in my career. His combinations are very fluid, an excellent fighter with an explosive style. An opponent like this will bring out the best in me.”
The 28-year-old Zepeda has yet to win a world title belt. At least Shakur Stevenson is a three-division world champion. For Stevenson, the most suitable promoter for him right now is probably Al Haymon, owner of PBC, as Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KOs), aka “Tank,” is under Haymon, which would be Stevenson’s most lucrative match.
