Tim Bradley was dissatisfied in what he witnessed from William Zepeda, with him getting dropped and struggling to defeat Tevin Farmer final Saturday evening in Riyadh.
(Credit score: Golden Boy/Cris Esqueda)
Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) received the struggle by a 10-round break up choice however was dropped within the fourth by a clear left hand that the counter-puncher Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) hit him with. There was no query that Zepeda deserved the win as a result of he had landed many extra punches and worn Farmer down with physique photographs.
The judges didn’t give Zepeda credit score for the physique photographs, so the scores had been nearer than they need to have been. Farmer was badly outworked and overwhelmed by the physique punching from Zepeda. Bradley says Zepeda should change his preventing fashion to change into extra defensive-minded and a world champion.
Zepeda is 28 years previous and has been preventing the identical manner his total skilled profession. He’s recognized for averaging over 100 punches thrown per spherical, and that fashion has made him well-liked.
“In case your protection is trash, you’re not going to final lengthy within the enterprise, and also you’re not going to be that champion that you simply need to be,” mentioned Tim Bradley on his Web discussion board, reacting to William Zepeda’s win over Tevin Farmer.
“Zepeda, come on. I perceive your offense is your protection, however you’re getting knocked down by Farmer, who’s probably not a puncher? That claims loads about your future as a result of they’ve guys that thump at 135 lbs. Muratalla, come on. He thumps. Keyshawn Davis, he can punch. Gervonta Davis, he’d have put you in a physique bag.
“De La Hoya, you’ve obtained your palms full. You’re going to should handle this man the fitting manner as a result of if he can’t outwork his opposition, I’m rattling certain he can’t outskill him. All the opposite guys I simply talked about have extra expertise.”
If Zepeda adjustments his fashion to be extra of a boxer, is profession will go down the drain. He and his trainers clearly know that which is why he fights the way in which he does. It’s the one fashion that may work for him, nevertheless it’s fairly efficient, and he could also be a ok one for him to beat Shakur Stevenson.
“He’s going to wrestle, I promise you. I’ve been saying this about his protection,” mentioned Bradley.
If Zepeda adjustments his preventing fashion to be extra defensive-minded, he received’t win fights as a result of he’s not an enormous puncher. As we noticed final Saturday evening, Farmer had extra energy than Zepeda, and he’s not a puncher.
The one manner Zepeda will get knockouts and turns into well-liked is thru his quantity punching. If you happen to take that away, he’s not going to go wherever within the sport and can lose towards the better-skilled fighters and those with superior energy.
Bradley needs Zepeda to rework himself right into a defensive wizard, which is unimaginable for him to do. Even when he might, it could make the Mexican fighter commonplace and damage his reputation.
What Bradley fails to notice is the game has modified within the final seven years, veering away from the boring defensive Mayweather varieties to the extra entertaining brawling fighters. What followers need to see now are fighters like Zepeda, not ones like Shakur Stevenson or his clone, Tevin Farmer.
Curiously, Bradley compares himself to Zepeda, saying his protection was higher throughout his profession than his, and makes use of his struggle with boxing nice Juan Manuel Marquez for example. Bradley states that he outboxed Marquez to beat him by a 12-round break up choice on October 12, 2013. What Bradley fails to say is that Marquez was 40 and he was 30.
The fact is, Bradley’s protection was by no means higher than Zepeda’s. He took lots of punishment throughout his profession, dropping to Manny Pacquiao twice, and getting fortunate with a present choice towards him and Ruslan Provodnikov.
