WBC Stadistics

WBC Super Lightweight World Championship

June 8, 2025 / Texas, USA / The Ford Center 

GOLDEB BOY PRESENT:

ALBERTO “La Avispa” PUELLO (Dominican Republic)

•         WBC Super Lightweight World Champion, 2nd defense
•         Former WBC Interim Super Lightweight Champion
•         Former WBC Latino Super Lightweight Champion, 1 defense

Age: 30 / Date of birth: July 22, 1994

Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada / Birthplace: San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic

Record: 24-0, 10 KOs / Total rounds: 176 / World championship fights: 2-0, 0 KOs

Height: 5’9.5” – 76cm / Reach: 71” – 180cm / Stance: Left-handed

Manager: Belgica Pena / Trainer: Bob Santos

SUBRIEL “Orgullo de Maternillo” MATIAS (Puerto Rico)

• Ranked WBC No. 8 at Super Lightweight

Age: 33 / Date of birth: March 31, 1992

Residence, birthplace: Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Record: 22-2, 22 KOs / Total rounds: 118 / World championship fights: 2-1, 2 KOs

Height: 5’9” – 175cm / Reach: 71” – 180cm / Stance: Right-handed

Manager: Juan Orengo / Trainer: Jay Nahar

WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Roberto Cruz (Phil) 1963
2. Eddie Perkins (US) 1963 – 1965
3. Carlos Hernandez (Ven) 1965 – 1966
4. Sandro Lopopolo (Ita) 1966 – 1967
5. Paul Fuji (US) 1967 – 1968
6. Pedro Adigue (Phil) 1968 – 1970
7. Bruno Arcari (Italy) 1970 – 1974
8. Pedro Fernández (Spain) 1974 – 1975
9. Saensak Muangsurin (Thai) 1975 – 1976
10. Miguel Velazquez (Spain) 1976
11. Saensak Muangsurin (Thai) * 1976 – 1978
12. Sang-Hyun Kim (Korea) 1978 – 1980
13. Saoul Mamby (US) 1980 – 1982
14. Leroy Haley (US) 1982 – 1983
15. Bruce Curry (US) 1983 – 1984
16. Bill Costello (US) 1984 – 1985
17. Lonnie Smith (US) 1985 – 1986
18. Rene Arredondo (Mexico) 1986
19. Tsuyoshi Hamada (Japan) 1986 – 1987
20. Rene Arredondo (México) * 1987
21. Roger Mayweather (US) 1987 – 1989
22. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex) 1989 – 1994
23. Frankie Randall (US) 1994
24. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex) * 1994 – 1996
25. Oscar de la Hoya (US-Mex) 1996 – 1997
26. Konstantin Tszyu (Australia) 1998 – 2003
27. Arturo Gatti (Canada) 2004 – 2005
28. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) 2005
29. Junior Witter (GB) 2006 – 2008
30. Timothy Bradley Jr. (US) 2008 – 2009
31. Devon Alexander (US) 2009 – 2011
32. Timothy Bradley Jr. (US) * 2011
33. Erik Morales (Mexico) 2011 – 2012
34. Lucas Matthysse (Arg) Interim 2012 – 2013
35. Danny Garcia (US) 2012 – 2015
36. Viktor Postol (Ukraine) 2015 – 2016
37. Terence Crawford (US) 2016 – 2018
38. Regis Prograis (US) Interim 2018
39. Jose Ramirez (US) 2018 – 2021
40. Josh Taylor (GB) 2021 – 2022
41. Regis Prograis (US)* 2022 –
42. Devin Haney (US) 2019 – 2023
43. Alberto Puello (Dom. Rep.) 2024 –

* Regained

TOP 10

1. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex)
2. Oscar de la Hoya (US/Mex)
3. Kostya Tszyu (Rus/Aust)
4. Roger Mayweather (US)
5. Timothy Bradley (US)
6. Bruno Arcari (Italy)
7. Arturo Gatti (Canada)
8. Danny Garcia (US)
9. Devon Alexander (US)
10. Saensak Muangsurin (Thai)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY

38 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, five of whom have regained the title: Saensak Muangsurin (Thailand), Rene Arredondo (Mexico), Julio Cesar Chavez (Mexico), Timothy Bradley Jr. (US), Regis Prograis (US).

131 WBC super lightweight world title bouts have been held in WBC history.

MEMORABLE WBC SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS:

Mar. 1, 2025 Alberto Puello W12 Sandor Martin – Brooklyn, New York

Dec. 9, 2023 Devin Haney W12 Regis Prograis – San Francisco, California

June 17, 2023  Regis Prograis W12 Danielito Zorrilla – New Orleans, Louisiana

Nov. 26, 2022   Regis Prograis KO11 Jose Zepeda – Carson, California

Feb. 26, 2022   Josh Taylor W12 Jack Catterall – Glasgow, Scotland

May 22, 2021   Josh Taylor W12 Jose Ramirez – Las Vegas, Nevada

Aug. 29, 2020   Jose Ramirez W12 Viktor Postol – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sep. 14, 2018   Jose Ramirez W12 Antonio Orozco – Fresno, California

Mar. 7, 2018 Jose Ramirez W12 Amir Imam – New York, New York

Aug. 19, 2017   Terence Crawford KO3 Julius Indongo – Lincoln, Nebraska

July 23, 2016 Terence Crawford W12 Viktor Postol – Las Vegas, Nevada

Oct. 3, 2015 Viktor Postol KO10 Lucas Matthysse – Carson, California

July 14, 2012 Danny Garcia TKO4 Amir Khan – Las Vegas, Nevada

Jan. 29, 2011   Timothy Bradley Jr. TW10 Devon Alexander – Pontiac, Michigan

Mar. 6, 2010 Devon Alexander TKO8 Juan Urango – Uncasville, Connecticut

June 25, 2005  Floyd Mayweather Jr. TKO6 Arturo Gatti – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Jan. 29, 2005   Arturo Gatti KO5 James Leija – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Nov. 3, 2001 Konstantin Tszyu TKO2 Zab Judah – Las Vegas, Nevada

June 7, 1996 Oscar de la Hoya TKO4 Julio Cesar Chavez – Las Vegas, Nevada

Mar. 17, 1990   Julio Cesar Chavez TKO12 Meldrick Taylor – Las Vegas, Nevada

May 13, 1989   Julio Cesar Chavez TKO10 Roger Mayweather – Inglewood, California

Nov. 12, 1987   Roger Mayweather TKO6 Rene Arredondo – Los Angeles, California

Apr. 8, 1978 Saensak Muangsurin KO13 Francisco Moreno – Hat Yai, Thailand

Mar. 6, 1971 Bruno Arcari W15 Joao Henrique – Rome, Italy

July 22, 1987 Rene Arredondo TKO6 Tsuyoshi Hamada – Kokugican, Japan

June 15, 1963  Eddie Perkins W15 Roberto Cruz – Manila, Philippines

Bambi vs Thumper

By James Blears

Perhaps it`s not unnatural that an undercurrent of irritation is irking and residually lingering within WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, in the build up to his third defence, this time against

hard hitting William ‘’Cameron’’ Zepeda, at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, Queens on Saturday July 12 th .

It`ll be a night to remember, with an impressive well-armed undercard of Alberto Puello defending his WBC super-lightweight belt against Subriel Matias, a super-middleweight title eliminator with Edgar Berlanga Vs Hamzah Sheerez and David Morrell Vs Imam Khataev at light-heavy.

Shakur has praised William saying he`s a good fighter, but when asked if he feels trepidation, he becomes scornful, feigning fear in a po-faced manner. As an Olympic Silver Medallist and a three weight-division world champion, Shakur has already figured out the difference between prudence and stage fright on the night. Tremble isn`t part of this preamble.

He also candidly declares that William only knows how to fight one way and he will not let William bully him. We will see.

In the Just William books by Richmal Crompton, the mischievous, misadventure prone protagonist, eleven- year- old William Brown observes: ‘’Experience is no use unless you can learn from it.’’ And: ‘’I`m continually amazed by how well I adapt myself to circumstances.’’

These are two important keys with which to assess this upcoming fight. We assume it`s going to be a classic boxer Vs fighter, which will determine who is the better lighter/igniter, but it may not work out exactly like that.

There indeed is a grim determination ingrained in every fibre of Mexican William Zepeda, who loves nothing better than a tear up, backing up an opponent. He has KO`d twenty-seven of his thirty-three rivals. Yet, he`s the Interim champion, taking on the Absolute Champion.

Shakur 23-0, 11 KO`s teases him by saying; ‘’So if you want to become the regular champion, the real champion, then you have to go through me. Zepeda says he`ll stop me by the tenth. We`ll see. It`s going to be a really tough fight.’’

Both are southpaws, but in this assumption about a real test, Shakur is right. Maxi Hughes who just won the WBC lightweight Silver Title with a UD win over Archie Sharp, has fought William and retired from the fray after four blistering rounds. Maxi says William tends to go into Beast Mode and will be willing to take some shots coming in against Shakur, banking on the fact they won`t carry too much weighty impact, pep or sting. He also says he spotted some flaws and mistakes by Will against talented but ageing Tevin Farmer in the two fights William had with him.

In the first William got careless and was dropped by a cute but hard left hook counter in round four. Credit to him that he got up and almost immediately resumed the onslaught thanks to his tremendous physical condition and intrepid determination, but hurt he was, albeit momentarily and mightily surprised. It was careless and at this level that`s invariably punished. Will knows the drill!

Early on in fight one against Tevin, William injured his left hand due to body punching of which he is rather fond. Fortunately, it didn`t require surgery, but the rematch had to be put back. He won fight one by a SD in Riyadh. A better performance in fight two with a MD victory in Cancun, propelled by two sound hands, via which he applied more pressure especially after the half way mark.

Earlier in his career in 2022 William had to work hard to defeat former IBF super-featherweight champion Jo Jo Diaz who was cut over the left eye by punches in the fourth and over the right eye two rounds later due to an accidental clash of heads, but still lasted the full distance of twelve rounds.

As challenger William Zepeda will be coming into this fight, determined to unload his accustomed high volume of punches and to punish the body of Shakur, which doesn`t move as much as his appreciably more elusive head. But Shakur isn`t at all easy to hit or hit cleanly any time, any place, anywhere. To win William must solve that riddle for Shakur to be either shaken or stirred.

Rather than hit, stick and evade, Shakur might decide to use lateral movement, counter punch with precision and make things more than uncomfortable than William anticipates if William follows the gameplan of being prepared to take a few to get his own in. Stiletto style precision to countermand blunt force trauma, could be an important and significant factor. Shakur may have an almost teenage demeanour outside the ring but oh dear…it must be remembered that Bambi had hooves while his buddy Thumper was a trifle flat-footed.

When he feels like it and the opportunity knocks, Shakur can and will inflict impactful onslaught. He plastered Jamel Herring in winning the WBO super-featherweight title, hitting him from pillar to post, before Referee Mark Nelson stopped it in round ten. He`s also dropped Oscar Valdez and Robson Conceicao in world title fights, dominating both on the way to UD victories. Although against the Brazilian he could no longer make the super-featherweight limit, coming in 1.6 pounds overweight. It was past time to move up to lightweight.

Shakur`s most recent fight, knocking down Josh Padley three times in round nine, with Josh`s corner throwing in the towel, isn`t much of an indicator, because Josh took it on just three days notice, after Floyd Schofield pulled out due to health problems. A courageous, bright spark move, which means Josh now has the where withal to say goodbye to his job as an electrician and focus full time on his illuminating boxing career.

In winning the vacant WBC title against Edwin De Los Santos, who up to then had an 82 percent KO record, Shakur showed technical proficiency in earning the UD, but didn`t engage very much and it was an armchair rather than a deckchair night. A real tedious fight. Against William ‘’Camaron’’ Zepeda who has a KO record just shy of this, at 81.82 percent, Shakur must shine, if he wants to take on WBA champion Gervonta ‘’Tank’’ Davis.

William is coming to try and cut the distance, move in and overwhelm Shakur by forcing him out of his slow paced, yet agile medium range style and make him fight. Rather than getting on his bike and fighting on the back foot, I think and I hope Shakur will move laterally, counter punching, spearing the oncoming Cameron with accurate and telling, well-chosen blows. That would make it competitive and exciting. Hopefully, adversity will bring out the best in both of them. To each, their own.