Shakur Stevenson maintained a notably composed and business-like demeanor during his faceoff with upcoming opponent William Zepeda, which followed their recent pre-fight press conference in New York City.
Stevenson is scheduled to defend his WBC lightweight championship against Zepeda in the highly anticipated main event on July 12, taking place in New York City.
The undefeated 27-year-old from New Jersey is aiming for another dominant performance, hoping a victory will lead to even bigger opportunities on the boxing stage. However, Zepeda, who boasts an impressive 33-0 professional record and holds the interim WBC lightweight title after defeating Tevin Farmer last November, is equally determined to secure a career-defining win of his own.
In sharp contrast to the main event participants, the staredown for the co-main event was significantly more intense and theatrical. The consistently energetic Edgar Berlanga went to great lengths to provoke his opponent, Hamzah Sheeraz, during their face-to-face encounter on stage.
Berlanga initially used hand gestures mimicking a gun pointed at Sheeraz. When this failed to elicit a sufficient reaction, he dramatically escalated his actions, simulating a full machine gun assault, seemingly re-enacting a moment reminiscent of the movie Scarface on the platform.
Fortunately, the tense situation did not erupt into a physical confrontation. Security personnel quickly intervened, stepping between the two fighters and pulling them apart before any altercation could occur.
