William Zepeda looked and sounded confident today at the Grand Arrivals in New York for his title challenge of WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson this Saturday, July 12th, in Queens.

Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs) says he recognizes the skill that Shakur (23-0, 11 KOs) will bring to the fight, but he’s going to take advantage of the opportunity to get the victory and “write my name in golden letters” in the history books.

Will Zepeda Shock Stevenson?

The Mexican brawler, Zepeda, says he’s already got his plans for the next day after he’s defeated Stevenson. He wants to go on a walk around Central Park in New York with his WBC title.

“I visualized me with a victory and the next day, walking with my title and my belt in Central Park,” said William Zepeda during today’s Grand Arrivals in New York. “I understand he has skills, but I’m going to take this opportunity and write with golden letters my new victory in the history books of boxing.”

That would be a big upset if Zepeda won, as the fans and oddsmakers see the fight as a clear victory for Shakur. Few people are giving Zepeda much of a chance in this fight. It wasn’t like that before Zepeda’s two fights against Tevin Farmer. The problems that he had beating the 35-year-old Farmer make fans doubt his chances of defeating Stevenson.

What people are forgetting is the punishment Farmer had to take in those fights. Despite running and holding much of the time, Farmer still took a terrible beating in both contests. We saw the aftereffects of what it did to Tevin when he was knocked out in the first round in his next fight.

It’s questionable whether Shakur can take half as many shots from Zepeda without succumbing on Saturday. Running, holding, and using his stiff arm might not be enough for Shakur to hold off Zepeda. He’s going to have to fight him.

“This is my spot. This is my opportunity, and I can’t wait to show the fans who I truly am,” said Shakur Stevenson. “There’s a lot of doubters, there’s a lot of haters, and a lot of people that think that I’m not who I say I am. So, Saturday night, we’re going to see if they’re right or they’re wrong. I promise you they’re wrong.”

The doubters are there because they saw Shakur’s fight against Edwin De Los Santos, and noted that he ran the entire 12 rounds. He had no offense other than peck and run.

The judges gave Stevenson a big break by giving him credit for fighting like that. Hardcore fans have seen the low-level opposition Shakur has been matched against since the De Los Santos fed an electrician, Josh Padley, and light-hitting, inactive Artem Harutyunyan.

Stevenson’s “Jerry” Strategy: Why?

“If you’re calling me, ‘Jerry,’ then I’m whooping Tom’s a**. That’s what I’m coming here for. Tom-Jerry, Jerry is whooping Tom’s a** for sure. Belt to mother f**** a**,” said Stevenson when asked what his theme is for his fight against Zepeda.

Shakur’s comment about Tom and Jerry was in reaction to being asked about Turki Alalshikh’s remarks about not wanting to see fights involving fighters that don’t engage, and just run around the ring.

Many people believed that comment was directed at Stevenson, whose fights resemble a mouse being chased by a cat on the rare occasions he fights good opposition. When he’s matched weakly, like in his last two fights against Padley and Harutyunyan, Stevenson can stand in the pocket to mix it up. He doesn’t do that when fighting guys with power.

“He’s going to stick to his MO by keeping him at range and using that left-hand advantage,” said commentator Sergio Mora. “His accuracy is what makes Shakur Stevenson so difficult to beat. It’s not the power.”

Stevenson: Old School or Outdated?

Stevenson is a potshot fighter from the 1990s, in the old, outdated mold of Mayweather. He’s a throwback of fighters from a bygone generation before the advent of the Internet, cable television, and other forms of combat sports.

People were willing to watch runners in the past because there were fewer options for entertainment, but that is no longer the case. You can’t do that without harming the events and hurting the promoters putting up the money, because fans don’t want to see that style of fighting.