To this very day, the one fight, the one official decision that hangs over 50-0 man Floyd Mayweather, is his first fight/decision win over Mexican warrior Jose Luis Castillo. In the opinion of more than a few fight fans, experts, fellow boxers, Castillo deserved the decision that night back in 2002. As such, these people say “Money” should be 49-1 today, not 50-0.
And Oscar De La Hoya, who found time to both lay into his former ring rival and predict a win for a current fighter of his, compared the Mayweather-Castillo fight to this Saturday’s DAZN PPV fight between Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda. De La Hoya, speaking with FightHype, said Stevenson fights “exactly like Floyd Mayweather,” while he also said that Zepeda “reminds me of Castillo.”
Can Zepeda Emulate Castillo’s Relentless Pressure?
And De La Hoya is predicting a decision win for the all-action pressure fighter, the way he and others feel Castillo won by decision over Floyd all those years ago.
“Here’s my expert opinion on Shakur Stevenson versus William Zepeda,” Oscar started off. “Shakur Stevenson, what type of fighter he is? Exactly like Floyd Mayweather, okay. He knows how to box, beautiful footwork, stands up straight, shoulder roll and all that good stuff, right. He has a beautiful jab, pot shots you with a right hand. Well guess what? Floyd Mayweather lost against Jose Luis Castillo, which reminds me of William Zepeda but [Zepeda] throws more punches.
“So think about this, Floyd I believe has brittle hands, Shakur Stevenson has brittle hands. If William Zepeda keeps coming forward, throws punches, is very careful, side to side movements with his head, keeps throwing that jab because this [the shoulder roll] cannot block a jab to save your life. Throw to the body, throw to the chest, pin him in the corner and just keep throwing punches in bunches. Zepeda probably has the best output in boxing so I got William Zepeda by decision or even a stoppage against Shakur Stevenson. And I love Shakur Stevenson, he’s a great guy, but William’s my guy.”
Will Stevenson’s ‘Brittle Hands’ Theory Play Out?
Quite the interesting breakdown of the fight by De La Hoya, and some fascinating points, well, pointed to. Has Shakur really got brittle hands? Has Zepeda got the best punch output in the sport right now? Can Zepeda manage to get in on Stevenson and work the body? Can Stevenson time a Zepeda rush with perfection, or perhaps with a check-hook (!), and take him out?
It’s a great fight on paper, a great clash of styles. If this fight does go all the way, will the judges be able to give us a clear winner, the way the three wise men sat at ringside were unable to do when Mayweather had a tough, tough time of things against Castillo?
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