William Zepeda becomes WBC lightweight champ in win over Lamont Roach and more

William Zepeda is the new WBC lightweight champ after beating Lamont Roach by unanimous decision in Paradise, Nevada. The Mexican southpaw reached the mountaintop nearly 13 months after suffering his lone defeat to Shakur Stevenson in New York City, and he dedicated his victory to his family.

He doesn’t care when or where he fights next, but he wants to be the undisputed champion, collecting the remaining WBA, WBO and IBF belts. 

The judges scored his victory 117-111, 117-111, 118-110, and through 12 rounds, it was as if Roach was standing in an elevator in front of a machine gun.

Zepeda had no respect for the power coming back at him and walked down the counter puncher most of the match. The main event also had open scoring, and Roach picked it up in the last four rounds, but it wasn’t enough to catch up on the cards. 

The tide shifted early in Zepeda’s favor as his pressure dictated terms, and he kept looping and piercing shots through the guard while changing levels. Additionally, it was as if a V-12 engine was strapped to his back and his relentless attack had Roach taking the most fire he ever had.

That type of persistence was wearing down Roach as if he were caught in a horrifying thrust of waves, preventing him from reaching the surface. Much of it happened on the ropes. 

It was Roach’s first defeat since Nov. 9, 2019, and he had been 6-0-2 after that, with controversial draws to Gervonta Davis and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. He was gracious and humble in defeat in his post-fight interview, and he later posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Congrats to Zepeda, was the better man tonight! But tonight only… be right back. Thanks for the love and support.”

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Raymond Muratalla improved to 24-0, 17 KOs, in his IBF lightweight championship defense, which was also his second-straight victory against an Olympic gold medalist. Robson Coneição, the Brazilian technician, who was on a two-fight win streak after losing his WBC super featherweight title to O’Shaquie in November 2024, was outclassed, 118-110, 119-109 and 119-109. Still, Muratalla was displeased with his performance and said he is moving up to super lightweight (140 pounds) after the fight as he revealed he had some trouble making weight.  He said, “I think I’ll feel a lot better and a lot stronger at 140.”

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Raul Curiel was off by 1.2 pounds from the welterweight limit (147), and underwhelmed in the first half of his unanimous decision win. Curiel spent a good chunk of the fight coming after Quinton Randall, yet struggled at times to close the distance against a lengthy jab. As the fight went on, Randall developed more confidence and had moments exchanging in the middle, but sticking with that strategy was a mistake. Curiel was the more dangerous man in that position, and he stepped on the gas in the second half of the fight, putting his opponent back on the bike to remain undefeated (18-0-1).

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Super welterweight Charles Conwell had been on the shelf for 469 days after being upset by Jorge Garcia Perez, and he got back in the saddle, stopping Paul Kroll in round nine of 10. It was the first fight of the main card and despite Kroll having only fought twice prior in 31 months, it was a statement performance for Conwell, who was desperately looking to show he is one of the elites at 154 pounds. 

“I’m back. I’m a player in the division, and I’m ready and I’m excited to get to the top,” Conwell said in his post-fight interview. 

Conwell was the slicker man, dodging punches and backing up Kroll to the ropes, where major punches were inflicted. The latter was as tough as a centuries old tree trunk entrenched in the dirt, and Conwell was able to wound him with a left hook below the ribs, and pressed on with with unforgiving shots from both sides. 

The fight was one-sided, and Kroll even suffered his first career knockdown as they exchanged left hooks, but he got clipped with the worst one and was sent crashing into the ropes. It was enough for the count and it may have saved him from Conwell going berserk on him.

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The upset of the night had Oscar De La Hoya rushing to the corner to comfort his prospect and it’s the perfect example of why you shouldn’t skip the prelims. 

The Golden Boy Promotions chief talked up 17-year-old, super lightweight Dylan Capetillo as the next best thing since sliced bread and the kid got knocked out by Juan Becerril’s crushing left hook. The doctors had checked out Becerril at the start of the round because he was getting battered and abused, and had been dropped by a left hook himself in round two. 

If one would have compared physiques before the fight, it would have been reasonable to presume that Becerril’s softer body would crumble against Capetillo’s ordnance. But looks are deceiving, and Becerril dropped him from a highly touted prospect to someone looking for redemption. 

De La Hoya could be seen from his seat stunned before he made his way to the corner and once there, he looked like he’d seen an apparition. Becerril celebrated by himself in the middle of the ring because his corner was working another fight, and the broadcast mentioned that he had to show his credential everywhere he went due to nobody knowing who he was in the week leading up to the fight.