Bradley Picks Mason Over Zepeda In Unification

Tim Bradley believes Abdullah Mason would beat William Zepeda in a potential lightweight unification bout, though the former champion expects a close fight.

Zepeda captured the vacant WBC title earlier this month with a unanimous decision over Lamont Roach in Las Vegas, setting up possible matchups with fellow Top Rank stablemate Mason, who holds the WBO belt. Bradley told Inside The Ring on DAZN that he would lean toward the younger champion despite Zepeda's proven track record.

Why Bradley Favors Mason's Power

The deciding factor, according to Bradley, is Mason's punching ability. "The punching power," Bradley said, per The Ring. "When you give Mason the opportunity to punch in between, that kid can punch. And he doesn't mind punching with you." Mason demonstrated that power in his first title defense on July 4, stopping Albert Bell in the final round after dropping him twice.

Bradley acknowledged that Zepeda brings advantages of his own to the table, particularly his experience against southpaws. The Mexican has defeated lefthanders Tevin Farmer twice and Maxi Hughes, and absorbed lessons from his only career loss to Shakur Stevenson last July. "What would concern me about this fight with Zepeda if they were to fight is the pressure, the volume, but even more, it's a southpaw vs. southpaw," Bradley said.

Both fighters are under Top Rank's promotional banner, making a unification realistic in the coming months. Mason is 21-0 with 18 knockouts at age 22, while Zepeda now stands 34-1 with 27 stoppages.

Source: ringmagazine.com