It seems patience is running thin. And you can hardly blame Shakur Stevenson for feeling a sense of urgency. After all, it’s been quite a while since he first began calling out Gervonta Davis. In various interviews and public appearances, Stevenson has repeatedly voiced his desire to unify titles with the Baltimore-born knockout artist. But to no avail. Davis, who last faced Lamont Roach Jr. and is expected to run it back in a rematch, continues to hedge and delay.

Meanwhile, a potential Stevenson-William Zepeda showdown is beginning to take shape. The WBC recently ordered both camps to reach an agreement by May 6 to avoid heading into a purse bid. The situation presents Stevenson with a golden opportunity. He has a chance to face one of the lightweight division’s most dangerous punchers. With Davis repeatedly questioning Stevenson’s resume, the Newark native now has the perfect chance to silence doubters and build his legacy. Until Davis is ready to step up.

Shakur Stevenson’s clear preference, but a realistic Plan B

Stevenson made a public appearance at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, where Matchroom and DAZN hosted a stacked card headlined by Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis in a title unification. The undercard included Stevenson’s cousin, Zaquin Moses, who squared off against Alex Pallette. After the fight, DAZN’s Patricia Duong caught up with Stevenson and got right to the point.

“Who do you want next, Zepeda or Tank?” Duong asked. “Sh*t, if I could have it next, I’ll take Tank,” Stevenson replied without hesitation. However, he was quick to acknowledge the reality of the situation. “But the fight that already presented itself is Zepeda,” the Olympic silver medalist emphasized before reminding, “If Tank says, “Let’s fight,” I’ll drop that sh*t, and me and him could rumble. But if he got other things going on, I’ll rumble with Zepeda.”

His enthusiasm was evident on social media as well. When a user pointed out that a fight between him and Zepeda would be ‘one of the most one-sided fights,’ the Newark-born southpaw responded, “Great fighter, but I can’t wait to show out!!”

The Olympic silver medalist last defended his title against Artem Harutyunyan in July. He returned to the ring for the WBC World Lightweight championship, Riyadh Season card on February 22. The 9th round left Josh Padley defeated. Since then, momentum has built steadily toward a potential Davis clash, especially given the drama surrounding Davis’s recent bout with Lamont Roach Jr.

Why Stevenson-Zepeda makes sense right now

Adding fuel to the fire, Oscar De La Hoya, Zepeda’s promoter, reportedly claimed that Stevenson was trying to avoid his fighter. In response, Stevenson explained that talks for a Riyadh Season appearance ultimately didn’t come together. So he directly challenged the Zepeda camp. Shortly after, the WBC mandate made the fight all the more likely.

With Davis continuing to drag his feet, Stevenson’s best move might be to march forward. And Zepeda is far from a soft target. The heavy-hitting Mexican southpaw boasts an 82% knockout ratio and a reputation for fast starts, much like Tank. Though his performances against Tevin Farmer raised questions about how he handles slick, technical opponents, Zepeda still offers the kind of high-risk, high-reward contest Stevenson needs.

A dominant showing could finally force Davis’s hand. Even Stevenson’s longtime manager, James Prince, weighed in on the matter during a conversation with Marcos Villegas. He dismissed Davis’s criticisms of Stevenson’s record as ‘excuses’ and reiterated that this is ‘a fight the world wants to see.’

So what do you think? Should Stevenson move forward and take the Zepeda fight, or is it worth holding out a little longer for the showdown with Gervonta Davis?