Roach vs Zepeda: The winner joins an all-time list of WBC lightweight champions

Saturday night in Las Vegas William Zepeda and Lamont Roach have the opportunity to compete for the WBC lightweight championship and establish themselves among boxing’s elite at 135 pounds. And, the winner will add their name to a very distinguished list of WBC lightweight champs.

William Zepeda and Lamont Roach aim to join distinguished list

First, Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs), of Washington, D.C., and Mexico’s Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) will battle for the belt vacated by Shakur Stevenson at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. The bout is the main event and part of the new “The Fight” series for TNT Sports linear cable channel/service in the U.S. and also streaming world wide on DAZN

The WBC lightweight title became vacant after Stevenson was stripped of the championship back in February because of a dispute over unpaid sanctioning fees. Stevenson has since moved up to junior welterweight, where he dominated Teofimo Lopez over 12 rounds to claim the WBO’s 140-pound world title.

With the belt vacant, the opportunity is monumental for both Roach and Zepeda to etch their names with some of the all time great fighters of the last 45 years of the sport.

Fighters like hall of famers Alexis Arguello, Hector “Macho” Camacho, Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker all held the prestigious 135 lb. “green belt” in the 1980s.

And, as if those names aren’t enough of a resume’ enhancer, how about starting in the 2000s: Floyd Mayweather, Jose Luis Castillo (twice) Manny Pacquiao, Vasily Lomachenko and Stevenson have reigned as champions of the WBC, as well.

If you weren’t keeping track, that’s nine names of “all time” fighters who’ve had this same title.

William Zepeda and Lamont Roach set for August 1 Showdown

As for the Saturday matchup itself, Roach has been in two recent, tough, controversial fights with neither having a winner. He last fought in December in San Antonio, TX, when he battled Mexico’s Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz to a majority draw for the interim WBC junior welterweight title. The veteran now returns back down to the lightweight division in pursuit of his first full world championship. His previous shot at lightweight gold came in March 2025 in Brooklyn, New York, where he fought WBA champion Gervonta Davis in a more highly controversial draw—a decision many observers believed Roach deserved to win.

Zepeda, who also turns 30 this year, enters the fight as one of the division’s most dangerous pressure fighters. His lone defeat came last July, when Stevenson outboxed him in a challenge for this same WBC lightweight title in Queens, New York. Despite the loss, Zepeda’s reputation remained intact thanks to his relentless pressure, durability, and punching power. He has not fought since the Stevenson bout and now returns with another opportunity to capture his first world championship.

There will be drama, when the bell rings and tremendous company to join for the Roach-Zepeda winner, when it’s all done.

Featured Image Credit:

Cris Esqueda- Golden Boy Promotions