Joe Cordina expects his rival Shakur Stevenson to defeat on Saturday the “relentless” William Zepeda.
At the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queen’s, New York and in what represents the biggest fight of his career, Stevenson defends against Mexico’s Zepeda the WBC lightweight title.
Saturday’s contest follows his victory in February over Josh Padley of England, who was a late-replacement for Floyd Schofield as Stevenson’s opponent.
Schofield had succeeded Wales’ Cordina as Stevenson’s challenger when Stevenson withdrew from their previous date through injury, and after returning to the ring on Saturday to defeat Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz – another Mexican – over 10 rounds under his new trainer Gary Lockett, Cordina is again hoping to secure a date with Stevenson or another of the lightweight champions.
He and Stevenson, 28, similarly circled each other at junior lightweight before their match-up in 2024 was confirmed, and Cordina, despite the tension that exists between them, is also among his biggest admirers.
That, at least until the conclusion of Saturday’s contest, both are promoted by Matchroom also potentially makes a future contest between them likely, and Cordina told BoxingScene: “Zepeda’s just relentless. But at the same time that can be his downfall. You saw with Tevin Farmer [in November 2024] – Tevin Farmer was catching him at will at points, and he was unlucky not to get a decision. He’s tough. He can overwhelm you. But that can be his downfall – he could open himself up too much. You’ve seen Tevin Farmer put him over. If someone can whack, he might be vulnerable there also.
“Zepeda ain’t gonna stand off him and just let him pick him off. He’s gonna have to work, and it’s gonna go two ways. [Stevenson’s] either gonna get overwhelmed, and grab and make it so boring, or he’s gonna fight him off, and he’s going to look a million dollars. But I think Shakur will win, and he’ll win either stinking the place out or in a very good back and forth.
“His distance and his timing is unreal. I don’t know if he’s got bottle trouble, but he’s one of these spoilt fighters that thinks the world owes him things and he deserves everything and he wants everything his own way. That’s all I think. But I’m actually a fan of his boxing. He’s a great fighter. His boxing ability’s unreal. But the way he acts puts a dampener on what he’s done, and what he’s doing…
“With someone like him, it’s not so much weakness – people have got to play to their strengths. People go in there and worry about what he’s doing. I’ve fought people with similar styles – there’s no one exactly like him ‘cause there’s no fighter the same as anyone else – but fighters like him that are patient and make you wait and they just draw you in… You gotta be patient as well, and probably willing to be involved – especially with Shakur – in one of the most boring fights there’s ever gonna be. If you do that, there’s a very good chance of you beating Shakur.
“[But] I can’t see [Stevenson] stopping him.”
Cordina, like Stevenson, has also previously struggled with hand injuries, and of a potential future date between them he added: “I only want to fight Stevenson ‘cause he was calling me out, when he was at super feather, and then when we were at lightweight we were meant to fight. I want to fight him for that simple reason – and he’s a world champion, so why wouldn’t I want that fight? Any of the world champions I’d love to fight.”
