NEW YORK — Shakur Stevenson delivered just the type of entertaining, dominant performance Saturday night that his detractors claimed he was unwilling to provide against a dangerous opponent.

Clearly motivated by intense criticism of his defensive style, particularly against proven punchers, Stevenson stood his ground, willingly exchanged with William Zepeda and out-classed the vaunted volume puncher in their 12-round lightweight title fight.

Stevenson’s showing led to a unanimous win on the scorecards in the 12-round co-feature of “Ring III,” before Edgar Berlanga and Hamzah Sheeraz squared off in the 12-round main event at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens.

Judge Kevin Morgan scored 11 rounds for Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs), who won this battle between southpaws 119-109 on his card. Judges Mike Fitzgerald and Glenn Feldman scored 10 rounds each for Stevenson, who won 118-110 apiece according to them.

“I came in here to prove a point,” Stevenson told DAZN’s Chris Mannix in the ring. “It wasn’t the performance I was looking for because I came in here to try and prove a point and I was tryin’ to fight, so I took more punishment than usual. But, at the end of the day, I told y’all, whatever it takes to get the job done. I got dog in me. I’m not no puppy. I’m not no poodle.

"I’m a tough guy, so I got dog in me. I fought. … I proved that I’m a dog. That was one of the toughest fighters at 135 pounds. I want a lotta people to get in the ring with him, and see how tough he is. So, he came in, he pushed me, pushed me to another level.”

Stevenson, 28, retained his WBC lightweight title by beating his mandatory challenger. The three-division champion from Newark, New Jersey, The Ring’s No. 2-ranked lightweight contender, also defeated the contender ranked directly behind him in The Ring’s top 10.

Stevenson went off as a 12-1 favorite according to several sportsbooks, but Mexico’s Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) entered the ring undefeated and had knocked out 82 percent of his first 33 pro opponents.

A right-left combination by Stevenson knocked Zepeda off balance barely a minute into the 12th round. The champion wasn’t as active in the final round as he was earlier in their bout, but Zepeda didn’t do enough to win it.

Stevenson initiated one of the few clinches in their fight about a minute into the 11th round, as Zepeda pressed him into Zepeda’s corner. There was less action in the 11th round than prior rounds, but it was up to Zepeda to score a knockout at that point because he was way behind on the scorecards.

Stevenson remained in complete control throughout the 10th round. Zepeda’s output slowed by then and he had difficulty catching the elusive Stevenson with clean punches.

A left by Stevenson snapped Zepeda’s head back with about 1:40 to go in the ninth round. Stevenson stung Zepeda with another left that backed up Zepeda with just under a minute on the clock in the ninth round.

Zepeda backed Stevenson near a neutral corner in the eighth round and landed several flush punches to Stevenson’s head and body. Stevenson wasn’t hurt by any of Zepeda’s punches as the champion's stiff jab, followed by his straight left, backed up Zepeda less than a minute into the seventh.

The sharper Stevenson picked apart Zepeda later in the seventh round, when the champion stood in the center of the ring and even backed up Zepeda at times.

A right uppercut and left hand by Stevenson backed up Zepeda with under 50 seconds on the clock in the sixth round.

A right-left combination by Stevenson turned Zepeda’s head with just over 30 seconds to go in the fifth round.

Zepeda stung Stevenson with several flush punches as Stevenson stayed with his back against the ropes, near his corner, in the first half of the fourth round. His head movement enabled Stevenson to slip several of those punches, but Zepeda’s volume made it difficult for Stevenson to fire back.

Stevenson eventually unleashed a combination and nailed Zepeda with right hand with just under a minute to go in the fourth round that backed up the challenger.

A left-right combination by Stevenson landed around the halfway point of the third round. Stevenson remained backed into his corner, which enabled Zepeda to land hard punches on one of the best defensive fighters in boxing.

A right hand by Zepeda made Stevenson lose his footing with just under 30 seconds on the clock in the third round. Stevenson didn’t seem as hurt by that shot as his footwork might’ve initially indicated.

Stevenson was aggressive again in the second round, when the sharper southpaw landed the more impactful punches – mostly right hooks and left hands – on the slower Zepeda. After that round ended, Zepeda took a deep breath as he walked back to his corner.

Stevenson stood his ground for most of the first round and was the more active, accurate fighter in those three minutes. It was obvious from the opening bell that he would approach this against a dangerous southpaw completely differently than another hard-hitting left-handed opponent, Edwin De Los Santos, in November 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Stevenson fought through hand and shoulder injuries to defeat De Los Santos unanimously in their 12-round bout. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist won the then-vacant WBC lightweight title that night, too, but he endured endless criticism for the extreme caution he displayed in that fight.