William Zepeda has made his case for a title shot…

The 28-year-old Mexican boxer edged past Tevin Farmer on Saturday at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to stay on course for a crack at WBC world lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in February.

Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) from San Mateo Atenco, México, won a split decision (95-94, 95-94, 94-95) after recovering from a fourth-round knockdown to land more punches than Farmer and earn the WBC interim belt.

Former IBF world junior lightweight champion Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs), 34, from Philadelphia, floored Zepeda with a left hook in Round 4 and his pressure made it an uncomfortable fight for the 28-year-old Mexican.

It was an entertaining fight, but not the statement Zepeda would have wanted going into a world title fight early next year.