LAS VEGAS — The lightweight division just got its next chapter. Lamont "The Reaper" Roach and William "El Camaron" Zepeda are headed for a collision on Aug. 1 at the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, with the vacant WBC 135-pound title on the line. The fight, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, airs live on DAZN and TNT.
Golden Boy Promotions officially announced the matchup on Wednesday, setting up one of the most anticipated fights in the division. The title became available in February when the WBC stripped Shakur Stevenson of the belt after he moved up to defeat Teofimo Lopez for the WBO super lightweight crown. According to WBC rankings, Zepeda had remained the number-one contender in the division, making this fight a natural next step.
Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) enters the fight as one of the more compelling stories in the sport over the last two years. The Washington, D.C. native and former WBA super featherweight champion won that title with a split decision over Hector Luis Garcia in November 2023, then stepped up twice and went the distance with two of the biggest names in boxing. In March 2025, he fought Gervonta "Tank" Davis to a majority draw in a bout still discussed for its controversial no-call on a Davis knee. Then in December, he and Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz battled 12 hard rounds, also ending in a majority draw. Roach has not lost since 2019 and enters this fight with something to prove after two straight fights that many felt he deserved to win outright.
Standing across from him will be Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs), a 29-year-old southpaw from San Mateo Atenco, Mexico who has stopped all but six of his opponents and fights with a pressure-forward style that has made him one of the most feared punchers in the lightweight division. His only loss came in July 2025 against Stevenson in a WBC lightweight title fight, a unanimous decision defeat that snapped an undefeated run. That loss to the pound-for-pound level Stevenson carries little shame, and Zepeda comes back here as the natural heir to the now-vacant throne.
This is a legitimate world title fight between two fighters who earned their spot the hard way. Roach brings elite defensive intelligence and counter-punching craft. Zepeda brings relentless forward pressure and one-punch finishing power. The styles clash perfectly, and with the WBC belt up for grabs, whoever wins steps into the upper tier of the lightweight conversation, in line for fights with names like Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney.
Aug. 1 cannot get here fast enough.