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Contemporary off a post-fight trip in Zanzibar, Tevin Farmer returned to the US with loads of ideas — and no scarcity of swagger.
The previous junior-lightweight titleholder narrowly misplaced a break up choice to William Zepeda in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, however the efficiency solely solidified his standing as a prime light-weight.
Farmer, 31-6-1 (6 KOs), pushed the undefeated Zepeda, 32-0 (27 KOs), to the brink of their WBC interim light-weight title bout, dropping him with a picture-perfect left hand within the fourth spherical. Regardless of the knockdown and his valiant efforts, Farmer fell quick on two of the three judges’ scorecards by two scores of 95-94 that complemented the one tally in his favor.
“I loved fighting in Saudi Arabia,” mentioned Farmer, a great-great-nephew of the nice Joe Gans. “It was my second time fighting abroad, and everyone treated me well. Yes, I thought I won, but overall it was an amazing experience.”
Farmer’s preparations for that struggle mirrored his adaptability and in-ring intelligence.
“Zepeda’s team expected me to be a boxer, so I switched it up,” he mentioned. “Zepeda is an aggressive volume puncher, and you can’t let fighters like that apply the pressure. You have to be the bully, the one pressing forward and initiating the action. I’m a helluva fighter on the inside; I just never had to bring it out like that before.”
The struggle’s lone knockdown got here within the fourth spherical, when Farmer showcased his timing and accuracy.
“I saw Zepeda throwing a lazy jab early on, but he was watching me,” he defined. “In round four, I threw a combination, and the second he came back with that lazy jab, I reacted with my straight left. Four of my last five opponents have hit the canvas, and that now includes the number-one contender at lightweight. I fought a guy who was 31-0 with 27 knockouts, and he gets dropped by a fighter supposedly with no power.”
4 months earlier Farmer misplaced one other shut choice, to the unbeaten light-weight contender Raymond Muratalla in Las Vegas. Regardless of these setbacks, he stays undeterred.
“The Muratalla fight showed me I still have it and can beat these young boys,” Farmer mentioned. “My performance against Zepeda proved the same. I’m ready for anyone.”
Lou DiBella, Farmer’s promoter, was vocal in his reward. “Put respect on Tevin Farmer’s name. He went toe-to-toe with the universal number-one lightweight contender and scored the fight’s only knockdown. Tevin belongs at the top of the division and will win a big fight again.”
Farmer, too, is raring for one more massive alternative. “I do want the rematch — an immediate rematch if I had my way. If not Zepeda, let’s do another big fight. My performance showed the world that Tevin Farmer is a top fighter and he’s dangerous.”
