Boxing
One thing is clear for Lamont Roach Jr. — no more draws
Roach vs. Zepeda on DAZN - SATURDAY
To be neutralized by a draw after 12 grueling rounds is stinging enough. However, to be spurned by two straight controversial draws is an entirely different, wrenching sensation.
No active boxer knows the latter better than Lamont Roach Jr. The Washington, DC native, who clashes with William Zepeda for the vacant WBC lightweight title Saturday night, live worldwide on DAZN, will be doing anything possible to secure a convincing victory — and avoid a third consecutive, excruciating draw.
“I think we just have to capitalize in certain spots and certain areas in the fight where we can appeal to the judges’ optic,” Roach told DAZN News during a recent Zoom conference, making sure to put air quotes around ‘optic.’
“Unless they just got a bad bone out for me in the boxing world, there’s things to be done and we’re trying to find them.”
That is vital considering Roach spent 2025 enduring one agonizing majority draw after another in a pair of fights that he arguably did enough to have his hand raised.
I know because I was live-blogging and scoring both for DAZN News. The first came in March 2025 in Brooklyn, New York via a major headlining pay-per-view bout against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis for the latter’s WBA lightweight world title. The bout had Roach, who was making his 135-pound debut, refusing to back down to Davis’ explosive power, mixing it up on the inside with a scrappy, confident performance.
The fight included controversy in the form of ‘Tank’ inexplicably taking a knee in the ninth round and referee Steve Willis even more peculiarly not registering it as a knockdown. Davis later explained that he knelt and went to his corner because grease from his hairstyle seeped into his eye.
Had the knockdown been recognized, Roach would have won the fight, instead of the majority draw scores: 115-113 for Davis and 114-114 twice. I originally had it as a draw, 114-114, as well, though Roach deserved the nod by majority decision had the knockdown been registered correctly.
Just over seven months later, Roach reappeared in San Antonio, Texas against Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, desperately trying to exorcise the anguish of the controversial draw against ‘Tank.’
Instead, he was forced to stomach another controversial majority draw. I scored it 115-111 for Roach who I credited for weathering the turbulence of Cruz’ early unrelenting pressure by standing firm in the pocket only to later make the adjustments needed to slow the pace and tame ‘Pitbull’ with sharp output. Judges didn’t agree, scoring it: 115-111 for Cruz and 113-113 twice. I thought Roach more than recovered from a third-round knockdown to take commanding control of the fight, especially its second half.
The 2025 stalemates are precisely why Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) will be doing whatever it takes to handily win over an aggressive Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs), making any idea of a draw unacceptable.
“We’re working collectively to eliminate such problems like that,” Roach said.
“And you know what else?” he tacked on. “Knockouts solve a lot of problems, too. So hopefully we land the right shot and get a knockdown or two … or maybe a knockout.”
Will Lamont Roach Jr. avoid another painful draw?
Analysis: DAZN News' Mark Lelinwalla
While I think William Zepeda is far too gritty of a pressure fighter to get knocked out at the hands of Lamont Roach Jr., 'The Reaper' has a sound sweet science game that he could use to outbox the Mexican. Roach can also get scrappy in the pocket to ward off Zepeda's unrelenting forward fighting. This blend should empower Roach to win on points and convincingly.
