Lamont Roach Jr. gets the big chance to win the WBC World Championship lightweight belt. The WBC has scheduled a duel for the vacant belt against William Zepeda.
Lamont Roach Jr. is facing another big fight in his career. The WBC has officially ordered Roach to fight for the vacant WBC world lightweight title. His opponent is William Zepeda, who is ranked number one in the association. Roach is ranked directly behind him in second place.
Both teams now have 30 days to reach an agreement. If no deal is reached, the fight will go to a purse bid. The belt is vacant because Shakur Stevenson no longer holds it. The former champion lost the title after a dispute with the WBC. According to the report, the background to this is a dispute over fees relating to Stevenson’s performance against Teofimo Lopez.
William Zepeda was last in the ring in the summer of 2025. Back then, he lost to Stevenson. The hard-hitting Mexican nevertheless remained at the top of the rankings and is now set to fight for the title again. At first glance, Roach’s record seems unspectacular. He remained winless in 2025. Nevertheless, his reputation rose. He fought to a controversial draw against Gervonta Davis and later fought Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in a close fight. The WBC honored these performances and is now giving Roach the chance to take the next step – this time with a real title as the prize.
Text by Robin Josten