LAS VEGAS — William Zepeda turned the biggest setback of his career into the greatest triumph of his boxing journey. One year after suffering the first loss of his professional career to Shakur Stevenson, Zepeda returned to championship form Saturday night, defeating Lamont Roach by unanimous decision to capture the vacant WBC lightweight title at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
The relentless Mexican southpaw overwhelmed Roach with his trademark pressure and staggering punch output, earning scores of 118-110, 117-111, and 117-111 to become the new WBC lightweight champion.
Zepeda entered the fight determined to prove he had evolved since his unanimous decision loss to Stevenson, who outboxed him last year in New York. Rather than allowing the defeat to define him, Zepeda embraced it as a learning experience.
“Against Shakur, it was an exam I couldn’t pass,” Zepeda said after the victory.
“But you know what? It was humbling. We took the time, we came back stronger, worked on the weaknesses and came back, and now we’re champion.”
The performance suggested those adjustments paid off.
Relentless Pressure Breaks Down Roach
Known for his incredible work rate, Zepeda lived up to his reputation by unofficially throwing 884 punches over the course of 12 rounds. Unlike Stevenson, who relied on movement and defense to neutralize Zepeda’s offense, Roach found himself trapped in exchanges for much of the contest.
The constant pressure gradually wore down the former WBA junior lightweight champion, who never found a consistent rhythm despite flashes of success. By the championship rounds, Zepeda had taken complete control.
Roach entered the fight riding strong performances against Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz, both of which ended in majority draws. Early in the contest, he showed why many believed he could become a lightweight world champion.
A sharp left hook highlighted the opening round, while a powerful right hand in the second briefly knocked Zepeda backward and reminded everyone of Roach’s timing and counterpunching ability.
However, those moments became increasingly rare. Zepeda’s nonstop attack gradually forced Roach onto the defensive, with combinations to the head and body steadily draining the challenger’s energy. A series of punches late in the ninth round visibly hurt Roach, who appeared exhausted as he returned to his corner.
Roach attempted one final push during the 10th through 12th rounds, stepping forward more aggressively than he had earlier in the fight. While he enjoyed some success, it wasn’t enough to erase the sizeable lead Zepeda had built on all three scorecards. When the final bell sounded, there was little doubt who had earned the victory.
Respect Between Warriors
Following the fight, Roach praised both Zepeda and his corner for executing an outstanding game plan.
The Washington, D.C., native admitted the new champion showed dimensions he wasn’t expecting.
“Zepeda was well prepared tonight,” Roach said.
“Him and his team had a tremendous game plan and he put it into place. No excuses.”
Roach continued:
“He was just one step ahead of me.”
He also admitted Zepeda displayed better movement than anticipated.
“I thought he was a one-trick pony.”
Instead, Roach discovered a far more complete fighter.
New Champion at 135 Pounds
The vacant WBC title became available after Shakur Stevenson was stripped when he declined to pay a reported sanctioning fee that would have allowed him to retain the belt while challenging Teofimo Lopez for the WBO junior welterweight championship earlier this year.
Now, the title belongs to Zepeda. The victory improves the Mexican star’s record to 34-1 with 27 knockouts, while Roach falls to 25-2-3. More importantly, Zepeda has transformed a painful defeat into championship glory.
After falling short against one of boxing’s elite a year ago, William Zepeda returned stronger, smarter, and more complete—and now sits atop the lightweight division as the new WBC world champion.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
