Tevin Farmer is convinced that his fourth-round knockdown should have sealed a victory against William Zepeda in their WBC interim lightweight title fight on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 34-year-old Philadelphia native lost a razor-thin split decision to Zepeda, with the judges scoring it 95-94, 94-95, and 95-94 in favor of the Mexican fighter.
Reflecting on the close contest, Farmer argued that the knockdown should have tipped the scales in his favor.
”I absolutely think I deserved the decision,” Farmer said. “I thought that knockdown in the fourth round was the difference-maker. When you see 94-95 on the scorecards, I was sure I had it.”
Watch Zepeda vs. Farmer highlights: Watch
This defeat marks Farmer’s second consecutive loss of the year, following a tough decision against Raymond Muratalla in July. Despite back-to-back losses, Farmer emphasized that he’s proven he can hang with the top fighters in the division.
“I’ve faced two of the hottest prospects this year, and I showed I could handle it. I brought the fight to Zepeda, just like I promised.”
On the other side, William Zepeda continues his undefeated run, notching his third win this year after previously beating Giovanni Cabrera. With the WBC interim title secured, Zepeda is now positioned for a potential showdown with reigning champion Shakur Stevenson in 2025.
Farmer also shared insights into his strategy going into the fight. “This guy [Zepeda] had been stopping his last 11, 12 opponents, but I made him fight differently. I knew I had to put pressure on him and not let him dictate the pace. I forced him to fight going backward, something he’s not used to.”
Read the full event results here.
Image Credit: Golden Boy