Raymond Ford suggests Gervonta Davis could be a better opponent for Shakur Stevenson than William Zepeda

Raymond Ford says Gervonta Davis could be an ‘simpler’ struggle for Shakur Stevenson than his bout in opposition to William Zepeda earlier this month. Ford believes that Tank Davis’ low output type of loading up on single energy pictures could be a easy one for Shakur (24-, 11 KOs) to neutralize in comparison with the Zepeda struggle.

Stevenson’s Pocket Combating Type

“I anticipated that efficiency. He got here in there and did what he was doing all camp, sitting within the pocket, beating guys up at their very own sport,” stated Raymond Ford to Fighthype, when requested if he was stunned at how Shakur Stevenson beat William Zepeda.

Stevenson needed to struggle like that. Even when he ran, Zepeda would lower off the ring, hit him to the physique pictures, and make him look unhealthy. Furthermore, Turki Alalshikh had warned fighters forward of time that he would not “Assist’ fighters that use the Tom and Jerry type. Shakur’s bread and butter is combating within the Jerry type, and at all times has since his newbie days.

“Shakur has been doing that. He simply hasn’t been exhibiting that in his fights, however within the health club, he’s been sitting within the pocket and stuff. I simply bought a glimpse to see among the issues that he can do,” stated Ford.

Ford and Shakur have skilled on the identical health club previously. Raymond stated this about Stevenson: “[He’s] extra of a good friend and an enormous brother.”  It’s unclear if Ford’s friendship performs an element in his views about him, and he would do in opposition to Tank Davis.

Zepeda Pressured Pocket Combating

“Yeah, additionally, William Zepeda is a fighter that isn’t going to will let you field the entire evening. So in factors within the struggle, you’re going to must field, and factors within the struggle, you’re going to have to sit down there within the pocket with him somewhat bit,” stated Ford.

If Shakur ran, Zepeda would have hit him within the breadbasket, and that might have pressured him to cease. Taking physique pictures whereas transferring is troublesome as a result of it’s laborious to brace for the punches. Stevenson was nicely conscious of that and didn’t dare take the chance.

“I felt he fought the proper struggle. He bought the job achieved. He regarded stunning doing it,” Ford stated about Shakur in his struggle in opposition to Zepeda.

What’s Ford speaking about? That wasn’t “stunning” the way in which that Stevenson fought. He resembled a sparring accomplice, pinned in opposition to the ropes, making an attempt to guard his head the entire time, and getting hit to the physique. The variety of physique pictures Shakur was getting hit with was numerous. That was NOT stunning until we’ve modified our definition of gorgeous to imply ‘ugly.’ Zepeda landed over 300 punches, with lots of the connecting to the physique.

Ford: Davis Simpler Than Zepeda

“I feel types make fights. He could make the struggle simpler than the William Zepeda struggle,” stated Ford on how Shakur would do in opposition to Gervonta Davis. “Tank, he doesn’t throw as many punches for one. He [Stevenson] doesn’t have to fret concerning the output, getting drained, or something like that.”

It might NOT be a better struggle for Shakur going up in opposition to Tank Davis than Zepeda, as a result of he could be pressured to run for 12 rounds. One slip up, and he’d get knocked out. If Stevenson ran, the gang would boo, and Turki Alalshikh would possible be livid at ringside. He’d have paid Shakur thousands and thousands, solely to see him ignore his directive in opposition to Tom and Jerry fights, and keep on the transfer all the struggle.

“The one factor he has to fret about is one large shot. Tank is making an attempt to land one large shot and set him up. I really feel like Shakur is used to seeing that, and that’ll be simple for him,” stated Ford.

Shakur has solely fought one large puncher in his eight-year skilled profession, Edwin De Los Santos. So, you’ll be able to’t say that he’s “used to seeing that” type of combating. He ran all the struggle in opposition to De Los Santos and will have simply misplaced resulting from his low output.

De Los Santos landed all the toughest punches in every spherical. Normally, the judges give it to the fighter who lands the cleaner, more durable pictures. In that case, they diverted from that apply to present it to the A-side fighter, Stevenson.