William Zepeda Injures Hand, Shakur Stevenson Bout in February Scrapped

William Zepeda's split-decision victory over Tevin Farmer last week came with a hefty price tag. The unbeaten lightweight contender revealed via Instagram that he sustained an injury to his left hand. Doctors have advised "El Camaron" to rest for six to eight weeks, putting his immediate plans on hold.

While the silver lining is that surgery isn’t required, the timing couldn’t be worse. The injury officially rules out a proposed February 22 clash with WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs). Even with an optimistic six-week recovery, Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) would face less than two months to prepare for what could have been the toughest challenge of his career.

This setback mirrors a twist of fate: Zepeda’s fight with Farmer only materialized because Stevenson had to pull out of a previously scheduled bout with Joe Cordina due to his own hand injury.

Now, Matchroom Boxing must decide how to handle Stevenson’s schedule while Zepeda recuperates. Stevenson, who fought just once in 2023, might benefit from staying active. Potential opponents include George Kambosos Jr., who recently joined Matchroom, or rising prospect Floyd Schofield. A rescheduled fight with Cordina also remains an option, though fan interest for that matchup seems lukewarm at best.

As Zepeda focuses on recovery, the clock is ticking for Matchroom to keep Stevenson sharp and ready for the marquee bouts expected in 2024.