WBC Orders Zepeda-Roach Title Fight

The WBC lightweight title became available after its previous holder, Shakur Stevenson, was stripped of the belt. The sanctioning body declared the title vacant after Stevenson moved up in weight to win the WBO junior welterweight championship. William "Camaron" Zepeda, a southpaw from Mexico, holds a professional record of 33 wins and 1 loss, with 27 of those victories coming by knockout. His opponent, Lamont Roach Jr., a former WBA super featherweight champion from Washington D.C., has a record of 25 wins, 1 loss, and 3 draws. The fight pits the WBC's top two contenders against each other for the coveted green belt, with Zepeda ranked number one and Roach at number two. Zepeda's only professional loss came in his last fight, a 2025 title challenge against Shakur Stevenson. Should the Devin Haney vs. Rolando Romero fight materialize, it would be a welterweight unification bout. Haney currently holds the WBC title in that division, while Romero is the WBA champion. However, Romero may first have to deal with a mandatory defense against Shakhram Giyasov, as ordered by the WBA. Jimuel Pacquiao, the 24-year-old son of the eight-division world champion, will make his professional debut against fellow newcomer Brendan Lally. The bout is scheduled for November 29th at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California, on a card promoted by his father's company, Manny Pacquiao Promotions. Pacquiao Jr. compiled an amateur record of 6 wins and 4 losses before turning professional. He trains at the famed Wild Card Boxing Gym under the guidance of Marvin Somodio, a long-time assistant to his father's legendary trainer, Freddie Roach.