“He and his team were well prepared tonight. They had a tremendous game plan, and he put it into play,” Roach said. “No excuses. He was just one step ahead of me.”

Roach (25-2-3, 10 KOs) landed sharp counters in spots, but the exchanges rarely stayed at his preferred distance. Zepeda remained in close, mixing body shots with short combinations that prevented Roach from resetting and mounting sustained offense.

Neither fighter visited the canvas, though Zepeda’s steady work to the body paid dividends as the fight wore on. Roach’s movement slowed over the second half of the contest, allowing Zepeda to stay within punching range and continue piling up punches through the championship rounds.

“I knew he was going to be looking for me with the right hand. We practiced for a long time because we knew he was a very fast, explosive fighter,” said Zepeda post-fight. “I think we showed our boxing tonight. It wasn’t just Camarón Zepeda coming forward.”

Roach remained competitive by answering with quick counters whenever Zepeda overcommitted, but those moments were short-lived. The champion returned to the body repeatedly, forcing Roach to absorb punches before he could create the distance he preferred.

Zepeda claimed the first world title of his career after falling short in his previous championship opportunity against Shakur Stevenson. Roach’s bid to become a two-division world champion ended after 12 rounds against an opponent who never eased his pressure.