The WBC belt only became available after Shakur Stevenson moved up to 140 pounds earlier this year. Zepeda was the last fighter to challenge Shakur for the title, losing a wide decision last July. By the time this fight takes place, Zepeda will have been out of the ring for about a year.
Roach had even worse luck.
He appeared to score a takedown against Gervonta Davis in March 2025, only for referee Steve Willis to refuse to count it. The fight ended in a draw, costing Roach what many considered the biggest win of his career. He then fought Isaac Cruz to another draw in December after getting knocked down in the third round.
Now both fighters are pushed back to a world title fight by a vacant belt.
It has become normal in boxing. One fighter loses to the champion. Another one comes from a controversial draw. The belt is evacuated. Suddenly everyone is fighting for a world title again.
A final venue has reportedly not been finalized, although Mandalay Bay is considered the preferred location.
It’s the ultimate failed upside scenario that makes you look at the sport and just shake your head.
The lightweight division operates on some bizarre, logic-defying loop. You have one guy who hasn’t won a fight in his last two outings, and another guy whose last memory in the ring is being completely ripped apart. Yet they fight for a green and gold world title belt.
The Lamont Roach situation is weird. How many fighters in boxing history can say they failed to win two consecutive world title fights and were rewarded with a third straight shot?
He moved up to 135 and earned a majority draw against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in March 2025. He then went to 140 and got another majority draw against Pitbull Cruz in December.
In a normal sports ecosystem, you go back to the drawing board or fight an eliminator. In boxing, you get a third straight shot at a world title, this time back at 135. That’s unmatched matchmaking luck.
Then check out William Zepeda. Shakur Stevenson gave him a 12-round boxing lesson in July 2025. He didn’t just lose; he was exposed on the back foot and lost a wide unanimous decision.
Instead of forcing Zepeda to rebuild, beat a top contender and prove he can handle elite movement, he gets a one-year layoff and steps right back into a title fight for the exact same belt Shakur just dropped. He is literally taking advantage of the champion dropping the division.
This is what happens when sanctioning bodies care more about collecting sanction fees than maintaining the integrity of their rankings. The moment Shakur vacated to go to 140, the WBC panicked to fill the vacancy and only looked at the highest names available, regardless of their recent momentum.
This turns the “world champion” status into a transitional gimmick. It’s a very competitive game stylistically, but the political mechanics behind making it happen are completely backwards.
