What to Know
- Lamont Roach Jr. fights for a second division world championship on Saturday, July 31 in Las Vegas against challenger William Zepeda of Mexico.
- The style matchup and stakes at the highest level are fueling predictions that Roach Jr. and Zepeda will deliver a Fight of the Year candidate.
- Roach Jr. and Zepeda headline the second card in the TNT Sports series “The Fight,” airing on linear television along with DAZN Boxing.
Lamont Roach Jr. eyed the WBC World Lightweight title belt sitting on stage Thursday at the Skybox Lounge inside the Virgin Hotel Las Vegas like a cat looking at a mouse. What was he thinking? “I can’t wait to cuddle with it. The first night I get it. Simple as that,” smiled Roach Jr.
Lamont Roach Jr. should be a two-division world champion by now. The former world super featherweight champion was a bad referee judgment call away from handing Gervonta “Tank” Davis his first loss on March 2, 2025.
Nine months later, it was déjà vu all over again as Roach Jr. found himself with a second draw in San Antonio against Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in their fight for the WBC interim World Super Lightweight belt.
Roach Jr. won the fight in the eyes of everyone watching except the three judges. “All I want is a fair shake, man, that’s it,” said Roach Jr. But in his first fight moving up to the 140-pound division, one thing everyone agrees on is that Roach Jr. gave the fans a great fight.
Now Roach Jr. of Upper Marlboro, Maryland (25-1-3, 10 KOs) is back at 135 pounds and will take another swing, fighting for the vacant WBC World Lightweight title against William “Cameron” Zepeda of Mexico (33-1, 27 KOs) in the main event in Las Vegas.
The card is the second entry in the new boxing series “The Fight” airing on TNT Sports and truTV along with its main streaming broadcaster, DAZN Boxing. The main card airs at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
No Hesitation By Lamont Roach Jr.
When offered the fight with Zepeda, he said there was no question about his answer. “It was a wonderful opportunity to fight one of the best fighters in the weight class for so long. Zepeda has been the number one contender in a few sanctioning bodies. You know that’s something that we paid attention to. Once the opportunity came to fight for the WBC World Championship, of course I said yes.”
Lamont Roach Sr., Lamont Junior’s father and trainer, says coming to Las Vegas for the fight is special to both of them, because it’s where Roach Jr. won his first world title. “Coming back here too, where we caught our first world title in Las Vegas, man. It’s going to be even more special to catch our second one.”
Believe the Fight of the Year Hype for Roach Jr vs Zepeda
Promoters often promise a certain matchup is a potential Fight of the Year, and those listening politely ignore the hype.
This time, the multiple promoters involved all expect Roach Jr vs Zepeda to deliver fireworks. The fighters agree, their trainers agree, and the other athletes on the card feel the same way.
“I’ve always, from the beginning, said it’s Fight of the Year,” said Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya, calling Roach Jr. “an amazing, amazing fighter.”
De La Hoya agrees Roach Jr. earned wins against both Davis and Cruz. “I believe he did beat Tank Davis. I believe he beat Pitbull. So, the fact that he’s coming off two draws, the fact that Zepeda is coming off a loss to Shakur Stevenson, both guys have something to prove, and you’re going to see it Saturday night.”
Roach Jr. is laser-focused on accomplishing his goal on Saturday.
“I’m ready to step into the spotlight of being one of the best. You know, I try to show it time in, time out. Performance comparisons and all that, I’m not too interested.”
Saturday’s card is the second entry in the new series “The Fight,” airing monthly on TNT Sports and truTV in a partnership with streaming broadcaster DAZN Boxing. It is the only regularly scheduled boxing on American linear television. To attract new boxing fans, these cards need to deliver fan-friendly entertainment. Roach Jr. vs Zepeda should be just the ticket.
Roach Jr. One On One with NY Fights
I asked Roach Jr. if he felt he got this fight assignment because he’ll deliver the goods?
“If I was, that’s a hell of a compliment, honestly. That’s a hell of a compliment,” said Roach Jr.
Roach Jr. said he and his father/trainer Lamont Sr. have worked hard in training, “picking up the intensity, you know, and being at this weight, just more my natural weight rather than 140. I felt good at 140. 135 is where I’m here to stay.”
How tough has Roach Sr. been on him during training camp? “As tough as it should be, as tough as they should be for sure. But I’m tough for myself. I’m goal-driven. I’m geared to go the extra mile. I’m geared to do what nobody has to tell me to do. That’s what I do.”
“I’ve been doing my push-ups and eating my Wheaties, man. I’m punching that night. (Zepeda)’s gonna find out himself, and the world will too,” promised Roach Jr., well aware he will face an opponent known for his punch output, as much as 1,000 punches per fight. It also means Zepeda will be right in front of Roach Jr., not hard to find.
Zepeda said on Thursday he was meeting Roach Jr. in person for the first time. There’s not a shread of animosity between them. “I know that a lot of you guys in the press, you want action, you want trash talking, but we know Lamont. He’s respectful outside the ring, but when he’s inside that ring, he’s a monster, he’s a beast, and I’m the same way,” said Zepeda. “It’s going to be a war on Saturday. We’re excited, and we can’t wait to have everybody here.”
What makes this a potential fight of the year? “I think because what I present in the ring, you know, I have a bundle of skills. I have a ton of will, heart like a lion, and cajones like Godzilla, and William Zepeda does as well,” said Roach Jr. “So, you know it’s a hell of a clash that we can’t wait to see how it turns out Saturday night..”
Zepeda’s longtime trainer, Jay “Panda” Najar, sized up Roach Jr. with a coach’s finest compliment. “That’s a bad motherfucker. That’s what I think. He’s a bad, bad boy, you know. And I know that he’s come to fight. And I know we got a hell of a fight in our hands. And I know what, you know. This is like what Oscar said. I don’t think regular boxing fans know that this is candidate of fight of the year.”
Roach Jr. and Zepeda are both bringing in the lessons learned from their in-ring experience fighting the best opponents like Davis and Stevenson and evolving their game.
But when it comes down to it. Zepeda doesn’t take a step going backward. Lamont Roach Jr. doesn’t take a step going backward.
Roach Jr.’s promoter, Tom Brown, calls him “a special talent, and I believe on Saturday night he’s going to have a breakout performance.
“There’s just nothing he can’t do in the ring. He’ll fight you on the inside, he’ll fight you outside, he’ll throw two, three. four punch combinations. He’ll use his angles. It’s just a tremendous fighter.
It’s all come together, and I just think his skills and his experience is just going to be a little too much for Zepeda on Saturday night. But I’m really looking forward to one hell of an event.”
Watch the news conference.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.
