Stevenson was later stripped of his WBC lightweight belt over unpaid sanctioning fees, leaving the title vacant and opening the door for the expected Zepeda-Roach clash later this summer.

Roach made it clear that he still views Stevenson as one of the top names in the sport and believes a fight between them would deliver at the highest level.

“Shakur, one of the best fighters in the world, I would love to get into the ring with Shakur,” said Roach to Fighthype.

“We talked to each other, and when it comes to fruition, it will come to fruition. That would be one of the best fights in boxing, I promise you.”

Roach’s comments were interesting because he still has not gotten through Zepeda, who many fans see as one of the toughest pressure fighters in the lightweight division.

Zepeda fights at a much higher pace than Isaac Cruz, and Roach already had problems dealing with Cruz’s pressure in their recent draw. Some fans felt Roach was fortunate to leave that fight without a loss.

That makes the Zepeda matchup dangerous. He is naturally bigger than Cruz, throws nonstop combinations, and keeps opponents working every second of the fight. Roach may view Stevenson as one of the biggest fights available, but Zepeda could turn out to be the tougher assignment physically.

There had already been discussion about Stevenson and Roach fighting before Stevenson moved up in weight. Nothing serious has developed since then, and the situation became even less clear after Stevenson was linked to a possible deal with Zuffa Boxing.

If Stevenson signs with the new promotion, it could complicate potential fights against fighters tied to other broadcasters and promoters.