Roach started well, taking the first two rounds on the S³ scorecard. His counterpunching was sharp, his jab found the target, and he effectively timed Zepeda's aggression early.
From the third round on, however, the fight belonged almost entirely to Zepeda.
Zepeda's nonstop activity, relentless pressure, and high punch output gradually broke Roach's rhythm. While Roach had moments of success throughout the fight, they were too infrequent to slow Zepeda's momentum.
Roach's game plan ultimately worked against him. His high guard became too passive, allowing Zepeda to dictate the pace. His jab lost its effectiveness, he struggled to maintain proper distance, threw very few combinations, and frequently smothered his own punches by fighting too close. Against a volume puncher like Zepeda, long stretches of inactivity proved costly.
Zepeda consistently outworked Roach from Round 3 through Round 12, controlling the tempo and winning nearly every exchange with his superior work rate.
S³ Scorecard
William Zepeda def. Lamont Roach by Unanimous Decision
S³ Score: 118-110 William Zepeda
Official Judges
- 117-111
- 117-111
- 118-110
Zepeda's pressure, conditioning, and elite punch volume were simply too much over the championship rounds, as he turned a competitive start into a convincing, dominant victory.
