The Ring Magazine will produce another fight night in a unique atmosphere. Headlining the event on July 12 will be superstars Edgar Berlanga and Shakur Stevenson.
The event at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing, airing on DAZN, will see Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz and Stevenson defending the WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda.
Berlanga (23-1) lost to Canelo Alvarez last September for super middleweight gold. It was the first big test for the 28-year-old. He rebounded with a win over Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz. “The Chosen One” has 18 wins via knockout.
After holding Commonwealth and European gold, Sheeraz (21-0-1) fought Carlos Adames to a controversial draw for the WBC middleweight title. The Berkshire-born fighter has 17 wins via knockout.
Stevenson (23-0) beat Edwin De Los Santos for the WBC title. The multi-division champion from New Jersey is coming off a knockout win against Josh Padley in February and looks to show his value to the world.
Zepeda (33-0) has beaten Joseph Diaz, Maxi Hughes, and Tevin Farmer. He beat Farmer twice for interim gold. The Mexican fighter has 27 wins via knockout.
Can Berlanga and Stevenson impress, or will Sheeraz and Zepeda take all the glory?
With the help of the FanDuel Sportsbook, The Sporting News makes predictions on the Ring III card.
Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz expert picks and full card predictions
Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz; Super Middleweights
Per the FanDuel Sportsbook, Hamzah Sheeraz is the -154 favorite, while Edgar Berlanga is the +120 underdog.
Both competitors land for power, so this could be an explosive fight. Who will walk out of the ring unscathed?
In his last fight, Berlanga landed 14 strikes and took out Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz with ease. It was an easier effort compared to when Canelo Alvarez forced him to land only 119 of 446 shots (26.7%), with multiple single-digit rounds. Canelo beat him in the fight and across the board on the stat sheet.
With eighteen wins via knockout, can Berlanga pull the trigger and land powerful shots against Sheeraz?
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Against Austin Williams, Sheeraz landed 64 jabs and 70 power punches, connecting on 134 of 372 (36%) total strikes. He was patient in the end, forcing Williams to be taken out in the eleventh. In a draw against Carlos Adames, Sheeraz landed 135 of 490 shots (27.6%), with 87 jabs.
Sheeraz’s reach and calm boxing mindset outweigh that of Berlanga. Berlanga can be wild at times and can get upset if he doesn’t connect. Sheeraz can manage the distance against someone like that.
Both fighters have flaws, but Berlanga’s may outweigh those of Sheeraz. If Sheeraz can settle into a nice rhythm and withstand Berlanga’s expected early onslaught, he should walk out with a win. He may even overwhelm Berlanga and prove to be the true knockout king.
Sporting News prediction: Sheeraz via TKO (round eight)
Shakur Stevenson (c) vs. William Zepeda for the WBC lightweight title
Per the FanDuel Sportsbook, Shakur Stevenson is the -1200 favorite, while William Zepeda is the +680 underdog.
This unique fight features two fighters with different styles: Stevenson with a defensive mindset, while Zepeda keeps his foot on the gas.
There are moments where Stevenson has shown signs of brilliance. He landed 189 of 580 shots (32.6%) against Oscar Valdez and 123 of 245 shots (50%) against Shuichiro Yoshino. Stevenson ranks first in +/- (21.1), landing the eighth-most total punches per round (14.1).
However, there are moments where he can be one of the most frustrating fighters out there.
Stevenson ranks third in the fewest total punches thrown per round at 40.2, which is on par with the fewest strikes landed (10.5). Against Artem Harutyunyan, Stevenson took his foot off the gas multiple times, backing up to not secure counter shots that could have won him the fight early.
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His style, dubbed “Tom and Jerry,” has been criticized by the likes of Turki Alalshikh, who even suggested the ring be shortened as the fight goes on. However, his opponents land the fewest punches per round (5.4), so there may be some method to the madness.
Can he look past the noise and impress?
Among active lightweights, Zepeda is fourth in +/- (11), throwing the most punches per round (96.5) and landing the most (31.9). He is a master of the jab with a 20.6% jab connect mark, while Zepeda’s connect mark is 41.7%.
Against Tevin Farmer in March, Zepeda landed 344 of 974 shots (35.3%). It was an improvement from when he landed 259 of 778 (33.3%) shots in the first fight. He never landed single-digit shots in the rematch, with strikes ranging from 30 to 50.
If Stevenson plays his game, he will look to reach in for a shot and then back up to mess with his opponent’s head. Zepeda is not that patient and will jump right in to make the opposition uncomfortable. Which style will come out on top?
Stevenson’s jabs should play a factor here. Zepeda’s lack of guarding could also benefit him. However, if Stevenson backs up, Zepeda can scout him and force him into the ropes. If Zepeda plays it close to the vest, can Stevenson handle the expected onslaught?
Zepeda may not get a chance to knock Stevenson out, but he could take Stevenson down to one knee. Volume strikes will be key. Though Stevenson can avoid the best he has to offer, Zepeda may be too much for him. A Stevenson decision win is possible, but The Sporting News is going with Zepeda in this one.
Sporting News prediction: Zepeda via unanimous decision
