Refreshed and again in the US following a well-deserved post-fight trip in Zanzibar, Tevin Farmer has loads of ideas and reflections within the aftermath of his robust efficiency towards William Zepeda in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In a show of coronary heart, ability, and unrelenting dedication, the previous world champion pushed his undefeated adversary—the #1 light-weight contender throughout all 4 main sanctioning our bodies—to the brink in a razor-thin cut up resolution loss on the undercard of Golden Boy Promotions’ Riyadh Season: Latino Night time, broadcast dwell on DAZN. With the WBC interim light-weight world title at stake, Farmer fell only one level shy of victory on the scorecards, in a gritty, spectacular effort that solidified his standing as one of many elite fighters at 135 kilos.
“I beloved preventing in Saudi Arabia. It was my second time preventing overseas. Everybody handled me properly. Sure, I believed I gained, however general, it was a tremendous expertise,” mentioned Farmer, the previous IBF junior light-weight world champion, who’s a great-great nephew of boxing legend Joe Gans.
“I’m all the time within the health club, however I spent 10 weeks in coaching camp making ready for this struggle. Zepeda’s staff anticipated me to be a boxer, so I switched it up. Zepeda is an aggressive quantity puncher and you’ll’t let fighters like that apply the stress. It’s a must to be the bully, the one urgent ahead and initiating the motion. I’m a helluva fighter on the within, I simply by no means needed to deliver it out like that earlier than.”
Farmer scored the struggle’s lone knockdown with a wonderfully timed straight left within the fourth body, showcasing his trademark accuracy and ring IQ. Zepeda was visibly rattled however managed to recuperate.
“This was the fifth struggle of my comeback, which started final June. 4 of my final 5 opponents have hit the canvas and that now consists of the #1 contender at light-weight. I fought a man that was 31-0, with 27 knockouts, and he will get dropped by a fighter supposedly with no energy,” Farmer continued.
“I noticed that Zepeda was throwing a lazy jab. I attempted to counter it early on, however Zepeda was watching me. Timing is essential. In spherical 4, I threw a mixture and the second he got here again with that lazy jab, I reacted with my straight left.”
Judges Predrag Aleksic, Jun Bae Lim, and Fernando Villarreal every scored the bout 95-94, with two tallies in favor of Zepeda and one for Farmer. All three unanimously awarded Farmer rounds 4, 5, 8, and 10, with Lim’s further nod in spherical one making the distinction on her card.
“Zepeda was the favourite and a Golden Boy fighter, so I knew I needed to end robust and dominate the final spherical. His punch output was loopy, however he was standing proper in entrance of me and was there to be hit. Watch the struggle and also you’ll see I harm him a number of instances all through the bout,” mentioned Farmer. “After I heard the choice, I used to be dejected, however I knew in my coronary heart that I gained. Dropping a detailed resolution below these circumstances is an unlucky a part of the game, however the world noticed what I can do.”
“Put respect on Tevin Farmer’s identify,” mentioned Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Leisure, on social media, within the wake of the thrilling contest. “Thought Tevin shaded it, nevertheless it was shut. Tevin stands with the highest of the division! He has proved that like a G and a warrior in his final two fights. That was common #1 Zepeda in there; the knockdown ought to have determined it!”
4 months earlier in Las Vegas, Farmer put forth a valiant problem towards 20-0 rising contender Raymond Muratalla in July, one other bout many observers felt Farmer arguably gained. The back-to-back clashes towards two of the most effective lightweights have left little doubt about Farmer’s world-class caliber.
“I already knew it mentally, however the Muratalla struggle confirmed me that I bodily nonetheless have it and might beat these younger boys,” mentioned Farmer.
“Tevin Farmer is a person’s man, an underdog, a champion, and knowledgeable,” DiBella asserted. “Tev will return and can win a giant struggle once more.”
