Shakur Stevenson is on edge. The unbeaten WBC lightweight champion knows his long-nursed, mega-money showdown with Gervonta “Tank” Davis could evaporate if Davis stumbles in his rematch with Lamont Roach Jr. A Tank defeat would ice the biggest payday of Stevenson’s career and leave him hawking less-lucrative options in a 135-lb shark tank suddenly circling his supposedly “brittle” hands.
Stevenson has already rolled the dice by agreeing to face Mexican volume-machine William Zepeda on July 12 at Queens’ Louis Armstrong Stadium. Promoter Eddie Hearn admits the all-action southpaw is “really up against it” but insists the Riyadh-funded numbers made sense. Zepeda averages 94 punches per round - nearly four times the connect rate Stevenson allows, meaning Newark’s defensive master will be forced to stand his ground or sprint for 12 tense frames.
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Meanwhile, Davis enters Las Vegas as a heavy favourite yet carries the weight of March’s controversial draw and a ninth-round self-imposed timeout that cost Roach a 10-8 round. Should the Baltimore star misfire again, Stevenson’s path narrows to risky names he has so far swerved, like Andy Cruz, Abdullah Mason, Jadier Herrera.
Complicating the equation is Stevenson’s expiring two-fight Matchroom deal. Hearn wants to re-up but concedes keeping Shakur likely depends on delivering a Tank bout the promoter alone cannot bankroll. Enter Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh, whose open chequebook underwrote Stevenson-Zepeda and could yet rescue the dream fight.
So the summer stakes are set: Stevenson must dazzle against boxing’s busiest puncher; Davis must silence Roach without drama.
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