Boxing Bait-and-Switch? Stevenson Vs. Zepeda, Berlanga Vs. Sheeraz Confusion

Ring Magazine revealed today in a perfect example of double-talk, Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda will be treated like the main event during fight week, but on the night of the fight, Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz will be the headliner on July 12th in New York City. Are they intentionally trying to create ambiguity?

Who Headlines?

Making the Shakur-Zepeda fight seem like it’s the main event during the week of the fight, but not on the night of the event, will confuse the fans. They’ll expect that fight to headline. When they see Berlanga vs. Sheeraz in the headliner, they’re going to see it as a bait-and-switch deal and feel tricked.

July 12th card

• Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz: Main event
• Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepedia: Co-main
• Alberto Puello vs. Subriel Matias
• David Morrell vs. Imam Khataev

“Ring Magazine 3 on July 12 in New York City will feature co-main events: Edgar Berlanga-Hamzah Sheeraz and Shakur Stevenson-William Zepeda. Stevenson-Zepeda will be treated as the main event during fight week; the boxers will enter last for all festivities. On fight night, Berlanga and Sheeraz will close the show,” per Ring Magazine on X.

The post by Ring Magazine says the event will have TWO co-main events, Shakir-Zepeda and Berlanga-Sheeraz. That’s not possible. No event has two co-main events. There’s only one main event, not two.

The strategy of treating Shakur-Zepeda as the main event is going to upset fans who will get a false picture, thinking that the fight is the main event on fight night. They’re not going to be pleased to see Berlanga-Sheeraz as the final fight of the night.

Many fans see those two as no-talent hype jobs who don’t belong in a headliner position on a PPV fight. The only way it would make sense for those two to be in the top spot is if it were a non-PPV event, and if there were scrubs on the undercard. That’s not the case here.