Matching a world-class aggressive puncher against a generational boxing talent has long provided great boxing theater, and the latest version – in the form of Mexico’s William Zepeda versus three-division champion Shakur Stevenson – appears to be at hand.

“I believe that’s the next fight for both guys,” Zepeda promoter Oscar De La Hoya told BoxingScene on Wednesday in a telephone interview from Cancun, Mexico, where on Saturday night he watched Zepeda repeat victory over a similarly crafty boxer in former junior lightweight titleholder Tevin Farmer by majority decision.

“We want that [Stevenson] fight on the table, and William Zepeda’s team wants it. Now, it’s a matter of getting it done.”

On Tuesday, Stevenson’s co-manager Josh Dubin told BoxingScene he wanted to hear from De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions first but made it clear “we have agreed to fight [Zepeda] next.”

De La Hoya said it’s conceivable to stage the bout by the end of summer – “We like to keep our fighters busy,” he said – with the expectation that the bout will occur in the US, with both the East Coast and West Coast/Las Vegas in play.

“It’ll most likely be in the US, which is great for the sport,” De La Hoya said. “Boxing is a global sport, but we must continue to deliver US fights for the biggest audience in boxing.”

WBC lightweight titleholder Stevenson, 23-0 (11 KOs), most recently fought on the loaded February 22 card in Saudi Arabia that also featured the undisputed light heavyweight championship victory by Dmitry Bivol over Artur Beterbiev, a middleweight title fight and Golden Boy’s unbeaten junior middleweight Vergil Ortiz Jnr posting an impressive triumph over former WBA belt holder Israil Madrimov.

In his bout, Stevenson, 27, a 2016 US Olympic silver medalist, stopped replacement fighter Josh Padley in the ninth round despite suffering pain in his hands earlier in the bout.

Zepeda, 33-0 (27 KOs), the WBC interim lightweight titlist ranked No. 1 in the WBA, subjected Farmer to early pressure and maintained his lead through trying later rounds to gain the majority decision victory.

While some boxing pundits have speculated Zepeda will find it difficult to find the evasive Stevenson, De La Hoya objects.

“When you have a volume puncher like William Zepeda, it’s almost impossible not to get hit,” De La Hoya said. “I don’t care if you’re the Invisible Man, William Zepeda will find you.

“I believe it will be an amazing fight that’s been in the making for a while.”

Stevenson posted on X, coming away impressed by Zepeda’s Saturday showing.

“Re-watched [Farmer] and Zepeda … Zepeda is good. He’s relentless, throws non-stop [punches]. [Farmer] put up a great fight, though, especially in the second half.”

The age and unbeaten records of both Stevenson and Zepeda makes the match one that should uplift the careers of both, De La Hoya said.

“Pitting the best against the best, you often get two winners,” De La Hoya said. “That was the case with Zepeda-Farmer. Zepeda won both fights, but Farmer didn’t come out a loser. Fans want to see more of him. He’ll get another tough test soon. In fact, Farmer against [Golden Boy’s unbeaten Floyd] Schofield is possible.”

First comes the matter of bringing the more classic battle to reality.

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.