By admin 
William Zepeda redeemed himself with a career-best boxing performance, overwhelming Lamont Roach Jr. to capture the vacant WBC lightweight championship by unanimous decision Saturday night at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.
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The victory marked a significant comeback for Zepeda, who was coming off a lopsided loss to Shakur Stevenson a year ago. Judges scored the bout 117-111, 117-111, and 118-110, reflecting Zepeda’s dominance for most of the fight.
Watch highlights of the fight here (h/t DAZN):
Fight Breakdown
The fight began with Roach finding early success, using his slick counter-punching to land clean right hands that knocked Zepeda backward. Before the fight, Roach spoke with Brian Mazique in an interview, hinting at his game plan against a southpaw pressure fighter in Zepeda.
“We’re going to impose whatever we can do and make them adjust,” Roach said in their interview.
His precision was evident through the opening rounds, winning the first two frames on most scorecards. Roach’s counter right and check left hook caught Zepeda as he tried to make entries in the second round.
The Tides Turn Early
This early success, however, would not be sustained as the fight progressed.
Zepeda began to take control of the fight in the third round, consistently closing the distance and backing Roach onto the ropes. He did not just come forward recklessly, however, as he rolled with Roach’s counters and stepped out of range at the appropriate times.
His combinations mixed in hooks, body shots, and straight left hands, overwhelming Roach’s typically tight defense.
By the end of the fourth round, open scoring revealed Zepeda was ahead on two of the three judges’ cards. The Mexican’s volume and body work troubled Roach, who was not able to counter accurately or consistently.
Beyond the eye-catching hooks and power shots, Zepeda’s jab helped set everything up and manage his distance. While not the sharpest jab, Zepeda threw it consistently enough to catch Roach during the times when he anticipated a left straight.
The middle rounds belonged entirely to Zepeda, who maintained an unrelenting pace that his opponent could not match. Zepeda was starting to get the timing down on Roach’s counters, rolling or stepping out of range when Roach would attack.
By the end of the eighth round, the Mexican’s lead was consolidated across all three scorecards, with tallies of 77-75, 77-75, and 78-74.
Zepeda Locks in the Victory
Roach attempted to increase his activity in the later rounds and had flashes of success, but he couldn’t put together combinations to turn the tide. Zepeda’s sustained pressure and volume were simply too much.
A combination by Zepeda to Roach’s head and body knocked him off balance in the ninth, and Roach looked like a beaten fighter when he sat on his stool after those three minutes.
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While Roach walked Zepeda onto counter rights and check hooks in the final frames, the judges favored Zepeda’s intensity and activity. The statistical disparity was significant, as Zepeda landed 218 of 884 total punches compared to Roach’s 153 of 591.
Zepeda’s post-fight comments reflected his growth from the Stevenson defeat (via Golden Boy Boxing on YouTube).
“Against Shakur, it was an exam I couldn’t pass,” he said through interpreter and DAZN commentator Sergio Mora. “It was humbling. But we took the time, we came back stronger and worked on the weaknesses and came back, and now we’re champion.”
What’s Next for Both Fighters?
For Zepeda, the path forward likely leads to a showdown with the biggest names in the lightweight division.
“I don’t care who it is or when it is, put him in front of me and I’m going to beat him,” Zepeda declared.
A fight with IBF champion Raymond Muratalla makes sense after Muratalla’s decisive win on the undercard, though Muratalla has indicated he may move up to 140 pounds. Another fun fight would be against WBO champion Abdullah Mason.
Other options could include a showdown with Gervonta Davis or a potential rematch with Shakur Stevenson, who now competes at 140 pounds.
For Roach, this loss represents a setback after consecutive majority draws with Gervonta Davis and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in 2025.
He must now regroup after losing for the first time since 2019. Roach was humble in defeat and acknowledged Zepeda’s superiority in his post-fight interview.
“Zepeda was well prepared tonight. He and his team, they had a tremendous game plan, and he put it into place. No excuses. You know, I take my hat off to their team. He was just one step ahead of me,” he admitted.
For him, a rematch with “Pitbull” would keep him in the title conversation, should he choose to stay at lightweight. A potential blockbuster rematch with “Tank” Davis, however, may be more difficult now that he has two losses on his record.
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This story was originally published August 2, 2026 at 9:09 PM.