“I want to see Roach win. I want to see him outbox Zepeda,” Ellis said to MillCity Boxing. “Zepeda has way more energy than Pit Bull Cruz, man. Zepeda is relentless. He come round after round. He just keep pressing, keep pressing, keep pressing.”

“I think they going to prepare for it. I just think Zepeda come way harder than Pit Bull. Every round the bell ring, he in your face. He don’t fade at the end. He just keep coming. Roach the better boxer for sure. I just think he got to be able to do it for 12 rounds.”

Ellis believes Roach holds the technical edge but warned that maintaining discipline will determine whether he leaves with the WBC lightweight title. Rather than trying to score a knockout, he wants Roach to use his movement, timing and ring IQ from the opening bell through the final round.

“Don’t even try to knock him out. Just box his ass. Box his ass. I think he’ll win. But it’s possibility he could clip him. Just concentrate on getting that 12-round victory, because he don’t have that much power, though. Lamont should be good.”

The matchup has divided opinion since it was announced. Zepeda’s nonstop work rate has broken down one opponent after another, while Roach is coming off the biggest victory of his career and enters with confidence after proving he can handle elite competition.

Ellis is aware of the danger Zepeda presents, but he believes Roach has already shown he possesses the boxing ability needed to neutralize pressure. In his view, the key isn’t power punching or standing his ground. It’s avoiding unnecessary exchanges and boxing smart for the full 12 rounds.

If Roach executes that strategy, Ellis expects the Washington, D.C., native to leave the ring with a unanimous decision victory.