Shakur Stevenson next fight: The WBC lightweight champion returns in July
04/21/2025 11:48 AM
The Shakur Stevenson next fight news has arrived, and the lightweight champion will return to action on July 12 against an undefeated up-and-comer at 135 pounds.
Who will Shakur Stevenson’s next fight be against?
Coming off a ninth-round TKO win against Josh Padley in February, Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) will seek to make his third successful defense of the WBC title in July when he takes on mandatory challenger William Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs).
How to watch Stevenson vs. Zepeda in July
- Stevenson vs. Zepeda will headline a Ring Magazine card on July 12
- The fight will take place in New York, with a venue yet to be announced
- The card will air live on DAZN
Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda preview
Top-ranked lightweight contender and WBC interim titleholder William Zepeda will get his first shot at a world championship. He’ll take a huge step up in competition against the three-division champion Shakur Stevenson. Can the San Mateo Atenco, Mexico native present Stevenson with a real test at 135 pounds?
Step up for Stevenson? The Newark-bred Stevenson holds victories over Artem Harutyunyan and Josh Padley in two defenses of the WBC title. Neither of which was recognized as a top-10 contender at lightweight. This is where “Camaron” steps in, which will be interesting to see how he fares compared to past opponents.
Champion vs. Contender: Zepeda is ranked number five on ESPN’s men’s divisional rankings. All others ranked above him are current champions at lightweight: Gervonta Davis (1), Vasiliy Lomachenko (2), Shakur Stevenson (3), and Keyshawn Davis (4). Not far from the biggest names in the division, Zepeda is knocking to establish his name among the best.
The bottom line: The 2016 U.S. silver medallist should be up for the battle Zepeda is prepared to bring him. With speed, high punch accuracy, and top-notch defense, Stevenson has the tools to hand his opponents all sorts of trouble. Known for his press forward, relentless attacking style, expect Zepeda to put the pressure on the defending champion.
What makes Shakur Stevenson so popular?
Shakur Stevenson is one of the bright young stars in the sport. Over his first 23 fights, he faced very few challenges, and the WBC champion has quickly garnered a growing fan base as he rises up the division’s pecking order.
Along with young stars like Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis, Stevenson is one of the new faces of the lighter-weight classes.
- Shakur Stevenson Record: 23-0 (11 KOs)
- Shakur Stevenson age: 27 years old
- Shakur Stevenson began his career at bantamweight and represented the US in the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal at just 18 years old.
- Even before he won an Olympic medal, Stevenson was an elite prospect as he earned titles at the 2014 AIBA Youth World Championships and 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.
- When he began his career in the professional ranks, he fought mostly at featherweight, winning multiple titles, including unifying all the belts at super featherweight.
- During the first few years of his career, the young star has scored big wins over proven fighters like Joet Gonzalez, Jeremia Nakathila, and Oscar Valdez.
Shakur Stevenson net worth
Money is often one of the greatest measuring sticks for a fighter's success. As of 2024, Shakur Stevenson’s net worth is believed to be as much as $5 million.
