Stevenson blasted the sanctioning body afterward and told them to keep the belt. Now it belongs to nobody.

The fight has been building quietly for weeks. Abraham Gonzalez reported on May 5 that talks were moving toward a summer date before confirmation later came from Zepeda’s trainer, Jay “Panda” Najar, that the deal was done for August 1. Gonzalez later added that Las Vegas is now viewed as the likely location.

The fight gives both men a chance to grab the biggest win of their careers in a lightweight division that has spent months tied up by weight changes, negotiations, and title movement.

William Zepeda enters the fight with a 33-1 record and 27 knockouts. The Mexican southpaw built his reputation through pressure and constant punches. He has one loss on paper, though many fans still believe he did enough against Stevenson.

Lamont Roach Jr. comes into the fight after back-to-back draws against Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz. Roach has not officially won a fight in more than a year, but many fans believed he deserved the decision against Davis.

Zepeda throws until his arms are tired and the bell rings. Roach waits for mistakes and fires back in the middle of the exchanges. Somebody’s style gives way.

Early betting odds are expected to favor Zepeda because of his pressure and work rate over twelve rounds. Roach is still likely to attract action from bettors after the Davis and Cruz fights, especially from fans who believe he has already been denied one important win by the judges.

The belt is part of the story, but not all of it. Roach is trying to leave with the victory that has escaped him in close fights. Zepeda is trying to show he can beat an elite boxer after coming up short against Stevenson.

Somebody leaves Las Vegas with the belt. Somebody leaves with another hard story.

“He’s staying at 135. We’re going for the world title against Lamont Roach. Everything was closed yesterday. We’re fighting on August 1,” said Zepeda’s trainer, Jay ‘Panda’ Najar to Box Azteca on X. “They’re looking for a venue, either in California or Las Vegas, but it’s already a done deal.

“Lamont Roach and Camarón already reached an agreement on the purses. One part was negotiable, and on August 1, it’s on.”

🚨So to put it all together🚨: I reported on May 5th that Lamont Roach vs William Zepeda was going to take place either July or August. Azteca confirmed with Zepeda’s trainer that August 1st IS the date. Now I’m being told the fight will likely be in LAS VEGAS on that date.…

— Abraham Gonzalez (@abeG718) May 12, 2026