Shakur Stevenson is just days away from making his return to the ring.
Zepeda could pose a serious threat to the American, with 27 of his 33 professional victories coming via stoppage. The challenger made his most recent ring appearance in a rematch against former IBF super-featherweight champion Tevin Farmer in March to successfully defend his WBC interim crown at 135lbs.
Stevenson‘s last outing came on February 22 when he dispatched of Britain’s Josh Padley in the ninth round of their bout in Riyadh. Despite being drafted in to face Stevenson on just a few days notice, Padley showed immense grit throughout the contest but ultimately fell short.
In an interview with The Stomping Ground, Padley shared an insight into the punching power of Stevenson, as he claims he has been ‘hit harder’ by other opponents throughout his career but did praise his body work.
“Obviously he was hitting me to the head and I feel like I’ve been hit harder to the head, then he banged me to the body and it took the wind fully out of me. I think it was the conditioning on the body.”
Stevenson has just a 47% knockout ratio, favouring the hit and move style much more than pushing for a finish. He has come under criticism in the past for this, however has warned Zepeda that he believes he hits harder than him despite what records may suggest.
