Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer Predictions: Win over old stager can provide fillip for Schofield

Floyd Schofield aims for a reputational rebuild when he takes on Tevin Farmer on Saturday, June 28. The world-ranked lightweights feature on the undercard of Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. DAZN PPV will screen the event live.

Here are my Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer predictions ahead of this quality encounter.

Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer Odds

Schofield is your odds-on favourite at 8/15. Farmer is accustomed to underdog assignments by now and will wear his 6/4 well. The draw is priced at 16/1. As you'll read below, Farmer is in a lot of close fights.

Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer Fight Preview

Schofield is supposed to have had a big fight by now. Maybe more than one. The 22-year-old withdrew from his scheduled WBC lightweight title fight with Shakur Stevenson on three days' notice, due to an unspecified illness. 

The 18-0 prospect also reportedly turned down the opportunity to face a fellow undefeated starlet in Abdullah Mason. Or at least, his father did. Floyd Schofield Sr. later clarified that there was $1 million on the table for fighting Mason, while Golden Boy paid his son $5 million to sign a long-term promotional deal with them. Simple mathematics, according to Team Schofield.

But there is a pervading sense that the big fights are passing Schofield by. Whether you see that as his fault or not is a matter of perspective. Illness and circumstances? Or a conscious effort to steer the youngster to a world title without meeting a fighter who could conceivably beat him? You decide, dear reader.

The Stevenson misfire particularly hurt Schofield’s standing. He has become something of a forgotten man. Schofield had to watch as Josh Padley took the fight on three days' notice and became international news. 

The Doncaster man went toe-to-toe with Shakur in a brilliant effort for a late-sub. The performance secured Padley a Matchroom contract that allowed him to quit his day job as an electrician. Now, by virtue of a win over Marko Cvetanovic, he is a world-ranked lightweight.

Meanwhile, Schofield’s boots have not touched the professional canvas since November of last year. That fight raised a question or two of its own, when Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron knocked Floyd down. Schofield won a wide points decision, but ate a bit too much leather courtesy of an opponent that was supposed to leave him relatively untouched.

Farmer is the sort of opponent who looks like prime cherry-picking on the surface, until you realise the selection could back-fire in a big way. 

A cursory glance at Farmer’s record shows 33-8-1 with three consecutive losses. An IBF world title reign down at super featherweight ended five years ago. Farmer is also 34, an age where smaller fighters tend to suffer a decline. If you were building an opponent to make your prospect look good on the climb, Farmer’s resume would match the assignment. 

But the wily southpaw has far more to him than eight losses and being old enough to have seen The Matrix at the cinema. Farmer has indeed lost three on the bounce. But what a trio of fights to take. Raymond Muratalla outlasted the veteran on the way to a competitive 10-round decision win. He is now the IBF lightweight champion.

Then Farmer was called into action to extend another unbeaten star on the cusp of a world title in William Zepeda. But that did not go exactly according to the script. The underdog old stager performed well enough that many thought Farmer deserved the decision. Zepeda escaped with a split nod on the scorecards, but not before Farmer had him on the deck in round four. To my eyes, the decision looked just about correct. But there was enough consternation to trigger a rematch.

Zepeda triumphed again by narrow margins, this time on a majority decision. But Farmer had shown he had more left than many initially gave him credit for. Perhaps the ex-world champion is a gatekeeper. But he might just be the best fighter currently playing that role.

I think that sort of thorough examination of his credentials is exactly what Schofield needs. People are starting to talk. There is a pervasive view that Schofield is trying to take the path of least resistance. But as Zepeda found out, Farmer has a lot of resistance left to give to the prospects that cross him in the ring. Get ready for your acid test, Mr Schofield.

Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer Full Card

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Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer

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Floyd Schofield vs Tevin Farmer Prediction

How much faith do we bestow in an unbeaten prospect? It is a difficult question. Last weekend I was effusive in my praise of Galal Yafai, the flyweight firework who had recently put Sunny Edwards to the sword. I picked him over Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez, who had won a world title a decade ago but had lost in recent challenges for big belts.

Rodriguez sounds a little like Farmer, doesn’t he? Well, yes he does. But no two fighters are built the same. Schofield has suffered warnings that Yafai had never endured before facing the brilliant Rodriguez. Farmer, meanwhile, is coming off three losses rather than the 4-0-1 unbeaten run the Mexican carried into that fight. 

I still reckon this will be a tough night. Farmer is no puncher, despite catching Zepeda for a flash knockdown in their first fight. But Schofield will need to solve some equations against an awkward customer who always keeps the fight close. But I’m backing Schofield to come of age and take the first signature win of his young career. A Floyd on points is 8/15.

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