There is not a single offensive strategy that Shakur Stevenson has not solved in his career. Yet when it comes to his brittle hands, the Newark native is clueless. In 2024, Stevenson had to opt out of a scheduled defense against Joe Cordina because of a ruptured tendon in his knuckle. Following that, earlier this year, he injured both his hands against Josh Padley.

So, now that the WBC lightweight champion is gearing up to take on the toughest challenge against William Zepeda, there are doubts amongst the experts and fans. Can the Newark native’s fragile “glass hands” withstand Zepeda’s relentless barrage? Despite skepticism from experts and fans alike, Shakur Stevenson’s promoter Eddie Hearn remains unfazed, offering a candid outlook for the July 12 showdown.

Shakur Stevenson will power through

In a recent interview with Rick Reeno of The Ring, the Matchroom honcho shared his verdict on the fight and his fighter’s hands. ” I think he’s going to land a lot of punches on William Zepeda as well,” he said, comparing it with how the fight against Padley went down. While he is not sure whether Stevenson’s hands will survive or not, at the moment, there are no complications. “He’s had all the checks, his hands are perfect, but in a fight where you’re landing a lot of punches, you know a lot of power punches against an aggressive fighter,” Hearn stated.

Acknowledging Zepeda’s toughness, Hearn believes his fighter will have to power through the pain. “I’m sure that the hands will be knocked up in this fight, but it is what it is. You know the one thing you can’t do is show any signs, and you just got to you got to find a way through,” he added, revealing that there was no problem with Shakur Stevenson’s hands during the training camp.

Furthermore, the British promoter hopes his fighter brings the same intensity as he did in the Padley fight. Despite the Riyadh Season clash being termed as boring, it was one of Stevenson’s most active performances. The 27-year-old connected with a total of 188 punches in the fight and scored a KO victory. Despite the level of opponent, Hearn believes that the fight was hard for the WBC lightweight champion due to the change in opponents.

However, this time, he is completely prepared for Zepeda and will take the fight head-on. “I think he’s going to land a lot of leather on Williams Zepeda. So you know, hopefully the hands hold up in style and he can force that stoppage against a fantastic fighter,” Hearn concluded.

The Matchroom promoter hopes that Shakur Stevenson opts for an aggressive route. It seems like we will get that only as the 27-year-old is on a mission to prove himself after His Excellency’s warning.

A fight to prove himself

After two disappointing back-to-back star-studded PPVs on May 2nd and May 3rd, the Saudi Royal took to his X. He passed a new directive to all the boxers fighting under the Riyadh Season banner. He wrote, “From this point on, I don’t want to see any more Tom and Jerry-type boxing matches where one fighter is running around the ring and the other is chasing him,” demanding action-packed bouts from his fighters.

While HE Alalshikh did not name names, fans were quick to speculate it was a call out to Devin Haney and Stevenson. Two of the best defensive fighters but often regarded as boring fighters due to their style. So, this time, the Newark native is on a mission to prove everyone wrong. In a recent conversation with Mike Coppinger, Shakur Stevenson expressed complete confidence, unfazed by Zepeda’s physical dominance.

The conversation took a serious turn when Coppinger asked Stevenson about the narrative of his fights being boring. Does a fight against an aggressive fighter like Zepeda change that? “William Zepeda is a hell of a fighter once again, and you know, he said he going to stop me by the 10th round. So let’s see,” the 27-year-old replied with hope.

Talking about his strategy, Shakur Stevenson will not run around and will take the fight to his rival. “I’m coming in there to put belt to a**. I’m coming in there to perform and beat him up. But truthfully, I don’t go in there looking for stoppages. So, if it get like that, it get like that,” he concluded, putting an end to all the speculations.

Shakur Stevenson and Eddie Hearn vow an explosive fight, raising fans’ hopes. Furthermore, with hand concerns sidelined, maybe Stevenson could unleash his full potential. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts down below.