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Lamont Roach Jr. & William Zepeda To Battle For The WBC
Lightweight World Championship Aug. 1
Two of boxing’s elite lightweight stars are set to collide
with a world title on the line as Lamont “The Reaper” Roach
Jr. (25-1-2, 10 KOs) of Washington D.C. and undefeated
Mexican sensation William “El Camarón” Zepeda (34-0, 27 KOs)
battle for the vacant WBC Lightweight World Championship on
Saturday, Aug. 1 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
Headlining TNT Sports and DAZN’s “The Fight,” a new monthly
live boxing series, the 12-round championship showdown will
be broadcast co-exclusively in the United States on TNT and
truTV and worldwide on DAZN and presented by Golden Boy
Promotions in co-promotion with TGB Promotions and ProBox
Promotions.
“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.”
“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,” said
William Zepeda. “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.”
“William Zepeda has earned every bit of this opportunity,”
said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “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.”
“Lamont Roach has proven he belongs among the very top of
the sport. On August 1, he faces a massive challenge in the
relentless William Zepeda,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB
Promotions. “Lamont is a world-class champion with
incredible boxing acumen and D.C. grit. He’ll need every bit
of it to turn back one of the most dangerous contenders in
the lightweight division in Zepeda. It’s a classic matchup
of skill versus pressure but I expect Lamont to fight fire
with fire, which means fans at the Virgin hotel and those
watching on TNT Sports and DAZN are in for a special night
of boxing.”
Additional information on the undercard and media
credentials will be announced in the coming weeks.
Lamont “The Reaper” Roach Jr. is one of boxing’s most
respected champions, earning recognition for his skill,
toughness and willingness to take on the sport’s biggest
challenges. Fighting out of and representing the Nation’s
Capitol of Washington DC with a record of 25-1-3 (10 KOs)
and has competed at the highest level across multiple weight
divisions. Roach Jr.’s profile surged in March 2025 when he
moved up to lightweight to challenge Gervonta Davis for the
WBA Lightweight World Championship. The highly anticipated
bout went the distance and ended in a controversial majority
draw after 12 competitive rounds, with many fans and
observers in the sport believing Roach Jr. had done enough
to win. Later that year, he tested himself once again by
moving up to super lightweight to face Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz,
battling to another majority draw.
Before those marquee matchups, Roach Jr. captured the WBA
Super Featherweight World Championship with a split-decision
victory over Hector Luis Garcia, completing a remarkable
comeback after the lone loss of his professional career
against Jamel Herring in 2019. Today, “The Reaper” remains
one of boxing’s most accomplished and battle-tested
competitors, continuing to pursue championship success on
the sport’s biggest stages.
William “Camarón” Zepeda has established himself as one of
the lightweight division’s elite contenders, earning a
reputation as one of boxing’s most relentless pressure
fighters. Most recently, Zepeda challenged undefeated
champion Shakur Stevenson for the WBC Lightweight World
Championship in New York City, pushing the champion with his
trademark high-volume attack over 12 competitive rounds.
Although the scorecards favored Stevenson, Zepeda’s
performance reinforced his standing among the division’s
best and further elevated his profile on the world stage.
The title opportunity came on the heels of a career-defining
run that saw Zepeda capture and successfully defend the WBC
Interim Lightweight World Championship against former world
champion Tevin Farmer. In November 2024, Zepeda overcame the
first knockdown of his professional career to edge Farmer by
split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, claiming the interim
title. Four months later, he settled the rivalry in Cancun,
Mexico, retaining the belt after an action-packed 12-round
battle.
Before his championship run, Zepeda built a strong resume in
the lightweight division. His breakout performance came in
October 2022 against former world champion and Olympian
Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, where he not only earned a signature
victory, but also shattered three CompuBox lightweight
records for total punches thrown, jabs attempted in a round
and total attempted jabs. He continued his rise with
victories over notable names including former world champion
Rene Alvarado, former world title challenger Mercito Gesta
and former world champion Maxi Hughes. Representing San
Mateo Atenco, Mexico, Zepeda has become a fan favorite
thanks to his relentless, action-packed style. The Mexican
southpaw combines nonstop pressure, elite conditioning and
knockout power, making him one of the most entertaining
fighters in the sport and a dangerous challenge for anyone
in the lightweight division. With his stock rising and
valuable experience gained against the sport’s top
competition, "Camaron" remains firmly in the world title
picture as he looks toward the next chapter of his career.
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