William Zepeda Wins WBC Championship Belt on Second Attempt
Mexican William Zepeda achieved the biggest goal of his professional career. The 30-year-old boxer defeated Lamont Roach by a unanimous decision in a 12-round bout in Las Vegas, capturing the vacant WBC lightweight championship belt.
Having failed to capitalize on his first title opportunity against Shakur Stevenson a year ago, Zepeda approached this fight with a completely different script. His relentless pressure and high work rate ensured a wide margin on the judges' scorecards.
Zepeda did not let his opponent dictate the pace
The main event in Las Vegas lasted the full 12 rounds. True to his style, Zepeda moved forward, gave Roach little room to find a comfortable distance, and maintained the initiative with combinations.
Although the American boxer tried to respond with counterattacks, Zepeda's punch output and constant pressure became the decisive factor. All three judges awarded the victory to the Mexican boxer:
118–110;
117–111;
117–111.
Thus, Zepeda was declared the new WBC champion without leaving any room for controversy.
The comeback after a defeat a year ago
The path to this title was not easy for Zepeda. In 2025, he stepped into the ring against Shakur Stevenson for the WBC belt, but suffered the first defeat of his career by a unanimous judges' decision.
After Stevenson moved up to another weight class, the WBC belt became vacant. Zepeda and Roach, occupying top spots in the organization's rankings, were given the opportunity to determine the new champion.
At the second attempt, the Mexican boxer did not repeat his past mistake. After the victory, his professional record became 34 wins, 1 loss, and 27 knockouts .
Defeated on his first attempt, Zepeda became the full-fledged owner of that very same belt a year later.
Roach's streak after two draws comes to an end
Lamont Roach came into this bout after two tough, elite-level fights. The American boxer had recorded majority draws in matches against Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz.
These results demonstrated Roach's technique, defense, and ability to withstand high pressure. However, against Zepeda, he failed to sufficiently restrict his opponent's activity. Following the defeat, Roach's record stands at 25–2–3 .
Muratalla also successfully defends his belt
In the co-main event of the evening, IBF champion Raymond Muratalla faced former world champion Robson Conceição.
Muratalla dominated throughout the bout in terms of accuracy, speed, and control. The judges scored a wide victory in his favor:
Judge | Score |
|---|---|
First judge | 118–110 |
Second judge | 119–109 |
Third judge | 119–109 |
With this result, Muratalla successfully defended his IBF lightweight belt. This marked his second title defense.
A new champion emerges in the lightweight division
Zepeda's victory added a new intrigue to the balance of power in the lightweight division. Now, as the WBC belt holder, the Mexican boxer can contend for unification fights and major matchups with other champions.
However, the main takeaway from the Las Vegas night is clear: the defeat against Shakur Stevenson did not break Zepeda. He waited for his second chance, worked on his mistakes, and took the belt—which eluded him a year ago—back to Mexico with a convincing victory.
Who do you think would be a worthy opponent for the new champion Zepeda in his next fight? Leave your thoughts in the comments and share the article with sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!
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