The WBC stripped Shakur Stevenson earlier this year
Variousoutlets report that the WBC has ordered William Zepeda to face Lamont Roach Jr for the vacant lightweight title they stripped from Shakur Stevenson earlier this year.
This is despite having an interim champion in Jadier Herrera, but as it’s a day that ends in “y,” the WBC playing Calvinball with its rankings is hardly worth remarking upon.
The order catches “Camaron” (33-1, 27 KO) and “The Reaper” (25-1-3, 10 KO) at potential inflection points in their careers. Zepeda spent the 2010s and the first chunk of the 2020s on an absolute rampage, only to struggle through a pair of razor-thin victories over Tevin Farmer. His efforts still managed to snag him a crack at Stevenson, but despite Stevenson willingly exchanging with Zepeda far more than usual, Zepeda fell well short of toppling the pound-for-pound stalwart.
This will be his first fight since.
Roach, meanwhile, is technically winless since beating Feargal McCrory in June 2024. Most felt he was thoroughly shafted by the judges in a subsequent draw with “Tank” Davis and had to settle for another draw in a close scrap with “Pitbull” Cruz this past December. It’s at least nice to see him get another opportunity, especially considering the Cruz fight was for the interim title and he gave up his WBA super featherweight belt to make it happen.
We’ll let you know how negotiations play out.
Category: General Sports
