Refreshed and again in the USA following a well-deserved post-fight trip in Zanzibar, Tevin Farmer has loads of ideas and reflections within the aftermath of his sturdy efficiency in opposition to William Zepeda in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In a show of coronary heart, talent, and unrelenting willpower, 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 break up choice loss on the undercard of Golden Boy Promotions’ Riyadh Season: Latino Evening, broadcast reside 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 liked preventing in Saudi Arabia. It was my second time preventing overseas. Everybody handled me properly. Sure, I believed I gained, however total, 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 at all times within the fitness center, however I spent 10 weeks in coaching camp getting ready for this battle. Zepeda’s group anticipated me to be a boxer, so I switched it up. Zepeda is an aggressive quantity puncher and you may’t let fighters like that apply the stress. It’s important 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 battle’s lone knockdown with a superbly timed straight left within the fourth body, showcasing his trademark accuracy and ring IQ. Zepeda was visibly rattled however managed to get better.
“This was the fifth battle of my comeback, which started final June. 4 of my final 5 opponents have hit the canvas and that now contains 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 mix 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 extra 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 sturdy 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 battle 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. Shedding a detailed choice underneath these circumstances is an unlucky a part of the game, however the world noticed what I can do.”
“Put respect on Tevin Farmer’s title,” 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 in opposition to 20-0 rising contender Raymond Muratalla in July, one other bout many observers felt Farmer arguably gained. The back-to-back clashes in opposition to two of the most effective lightweights have left little question about Farmer’s world-class caliber.
“I already knew it mentally, however the Muratalla battle 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 an expert,” DiBella asserted. “Tev will return and can win a giant battle once more.”
