WILLIAM ZEPEDA must hope he never faces Tevin Farmer again after scraping by with another tight decision win over the American. Last night in Cancun, Zepeda aimed to capitalise on home advantage and improve on his fortunate split decision victory from four months ago in Riyadh, a 10-round bout that could’ve gone either way. This time, over 12 rounds, Farmer proved just as stubborn a puzzle.
Zepeda stuck to his tried-and-true game plan: relentless pressure, high volume, and punishing power to break opponents down. It had worked like a charm—until he met Farmer. The crafty Philadelphian, with years of ring savvy, wasn’t fazed. In the opening round, Zepeda unleashed a flashy three-punch combo that thrilled the crowd but barely dented Farmer, hinting at a long night ahead.
The Cancun faithful roared with every Zepeda success, but Farmer’s southpaw jab soon found its rhythm. It couldn’t fully shield him from the body-shot barrage, though. By round five, signs of trouble emerged—Farmer’s left arm faltered, his hand or elbow visibly bothering him.
Yet that same left kept snapping Zepeda’s head back. Then, with 40 seconds left in the round, Zepeda nearly closed the show. A flurry of lefts and rights battered Farmer, who dropped his hands—proof of injury—and offered little defence. Slipping shots wasn’t enough against Zepeda’s onslaught; body blows landed with vicious intent. But Farmer fired back a defiant uppercut, stealing the last word.
Quitting wasn’t an option. Farmer’s grit shone through as he fought on, trading skill for Zepeda’s will. Both men showcased their best: Zepeda ploughed forward with venomous hooks, while Farmer ducked and countered with crosses and uppercuts. Neither budged. The final round brought controversy—a cuffing left from Farmer dropped Zepeda, only for referee Michael Griffin to wave it off as a slip, sparking crowd outrage.
The judges had the final say: Ed Pearson (Canada) scored it 114-114, Nathan Palmer (USA) gave Zepeda a 115-113 edge, and Rafael Ortiz Loyo (Mexico) saw it 116-112 for the hometown fighter. A majority decision kept Zepeda’s WBC Interim lightweight belt intact, paving the way for a potential showdown with full champion Shakur Stevenson. On another night, though, Farmer might’ve walked away the victor.
Zepeda’s record climbs to 33-0 (27 KOs), while Farmer falls to 33-8-1 (8 KOs).
