Former junior lightweight titleholder Tevin Farmer, now competing at lightweight, has heard the chatter about his opponent William Zepeda’s potential February showdown with Shakur Stevenson, but Farmer thinks people are overlooking one simple fact – Zepeda has to get past him first.

The two meet on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a lightweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds on Golden Boy Promotions’ “Latino Night” card, broadcast on DAZN.

Farmer, now 34 and sporting the nickname “2x” as a nod to his aim of becoming a two-time titleholder, feels dismissed amid talk of a Zepeda-Stevenson clash. 

He’s particularly irked by a “dream matchup” poster promoted by Golden Boy’s Oscar De La Hoya and Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, which lists Zepeda facing Stevenson. The two promoters, known for public barbs, have even joked about fighting each other on the as of now fictional card.

“It’s crazy how I’m seeing Golden Boy and Eddie Hearn pushing this 5 v 5 with Zepeda and Shakur,” Farmer said. “But it’s wild when there’s a guy like Tevin Farmer in front of him. You never put the carriage in front of the horse – that’s how you say it, right?”

Farmer, coming off a unanimous decision loss to unbeaten Raymond Muratalla in July, is also a free agent. He noted that a win on Saturday could throw a wrench in any plans for a Zepeda-Stevenson fight, given he’s under no contract with either promoter.

“I think it’s a bad move after this, because once I beat him Saturday, I don’t know who they’ll have for Shakur,” Farmer said. “I’m not signed to Golden Boy or Eddie. So we will leave that there.” 

Zepeda, 28, enters with an unbeaten record of 31-0 (27 KOs) and a four-fight knockout streak, having stopped Maxi Hughes and Giovanni Cabrera in 2024 alone. While Farmer, the pride of Philadelphia, respects the highly touted Zepeda, he believes the Mexican slugger still has tests to pass.

“They’re saying William Zepeda is one of the best at 135, which I agree,” Farmer said.“But you can’t be a top dog unless you beat a top dog. And Saturday night, he’s got his hands full with Tevin Farmer.”