Lamont Roach vs William Zepeda

This is a hard pick. Lamont Roach has the cleaner boxing brain, but William Zepeda brings that horrible Mexican pressure where every second of the round feels like someone’s nicking your air. It’s a craftsman against a machine.

Roach is tidy, switched-on, and better than people gave him credit for before those big nights with Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz. He can box, he can think, and he doesn’t panic when the pace gets spicy. Zepeda, though, is all engine. He throws punches like he’s double-parked outside, body, head, body again, no breathing room.

Roach’s advantage is timing. If he keeps that jab sharp, pivots after punching, and doesn’t admire his work, he can make Zepeda walk into counters. Zepeda’s advantage is volume. He doesn’t need every shot clean; he just needs to keep touching you, leaning on you, and making your legs work.

The danger for Roach is getting trapped on the ropes. Against Zepeda, a quiet thirty seconds can cost you a round. But Roach has the better ring IQ, and I think he’ll nick enough close rounds with cleaner work.

Prediction: Lamont Roach wins by decision.