Lamont Roach Jr vs William Zepeda confirmed for WBC showdown

On August 1, at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Lamont Roach Jr vs William Zepeda will meet for the vacant WBC lightweight world title, live on TNT and truTV, and worldwide on DAZN. The entire event will be presented by Golden Boy Promotions in co-promotion with TGB Promotions and ProBox Promotions. The fight had been rumoured for some time, but the date and venue have now been confirmed, with both fighters giving their thoughts on the confirmation.

Lamont Roach Jr vs William Zepeda set for Vegas showdown

Lamont Roach vs William Zepeda will be for the vacant WBC strap. Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) has shown his desire to fight the best, drawing with Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz in his last two fights. Many felt Roach won both, and looking back, he boxed with poise and showcased his exceptional ring IQ in both fights.

Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) is an all-action fighter who throws a massive volume of punches, often overwhelming opponents. However, last time out, Zepeda was comfortably outpointed by Shakur Stevenson with scorecards of 119-109, and 118-110 x2.

Lamont Roach Jr vs William Zepeda: Both fighters react

“This is my fourth consecutive world title fight coming up in a different weight class,” said Lamont Roach Jr. “No doubt, I am bringing boxing back, and I’m coming for the top spot. I want the P4P belt layer.”

Looking ahead to August 1, Zepeda said: 

“We’ve been working hard since my last fight. We’re at the forefront of the lightweight division, and we know every opponent at this level presents a serious challenge.”

“Once again, we’ve been given the opportunity to fight for a world championship, and we’re ready to show the world exactly who ‘El Camarón’ Zepeda is. I hope Lamont comes fully prepared, because we’re going to put on a great show for the fans.”

Oscar De La Hoya backs his fighter

Backing Zepeda, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya said:

“William Zepeda has earned every bit of this opportunity.”

“For years, he has taken on every challenge put in front of him and established himself as one of the most exciting fighters in boxing with his relentless pressure, incredible work rate, and fan-friendly style. On August 1, fans are going to witness two world-class fighters battle for the WBC Lightweight World Championship, and I expect William Zepeda to show the world why he is one of the very best fighters in the sport today.”

*All quotes were taken from a DAZN press release. No undercard fights were confirmed, but Dan Rafael has reported that the co-feature to Lamont Roach Jr vs William Zepeda will be Ray Muratalla defending his IBF 135-pound title vs Robson Conceicao.

Featured Image Credit:

DAZN Press Release Photo