Lamont Roach Jr. and William Zepeda to Battle for Title in August

Lamont Roach Jr. and William Zepeda are set to clash in Las Vegas on August 1st, both vying for a world title after previous attempts were thwarted by controversial decisions and exceptional boxing talent. This showdown for the vacant WBC Lightweight belt offers one of these fighters the chance to finally overcome past hurdles and reach the pinnacle of their division.

On Friday, www.boxingscene.com confirmed reports that former super featherweight champion Lamont Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) from Washington D.C. and title contender William Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) from Mexico have finalized an agreement for the fight.

For the 29-year-old Zepeda, this will be his first bout in nearly a year. The "Golden Boy" fighter suffered his last defeat on July 12th in New York against undefeated four-division champion Shakur Stevenson, losing by unanimous decision (118-110, 118-110, 119-109).

Roach, who previously fought under "Golden Boy" and is now part of "ProBoxTV," came agonizingly close to securing a second title. In March 2025, he was arguably robbed when referee Steve Willis failed to score a knockdown against then-WBA Lightweight Champion Gervonta Davis at the Barclays Center in New York. Those crucial points ultimately led to a draw.

In December, Roach fought to another draw, this time against former 140-pound champion Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz in Texas. In that contest, he managed to rally on the scorecards after being knocked down in the third round.

According to two official sources close to the deal, the venue for the August 1st bout is not yet definitively set, but the Mandalay Bay is considered the most likely location.