The former WBA 130-pound champion intends to test William Zepeda’s chin when they fight for the vacant WBC 135-pound belt at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Considering Zepeda’s durability and Roach having just 10 knockouts in 29 fights, if Roach were to win, it seems likely that he’ll do so on points.

The Upper Marlboro, Maryland native doesn’t intend to box and move, though. Instead, he plans on tagging Zepeda with lefts and rights all night.

If that happens, Roach will be surprised if The Ring’s No. 3-ranked lightweight contender makes it all 12 rounds.

“We’ll see if his chin can hold up,” Roach told Fight Hub TV. “If his chin can hold up, I’ll tip my hat off to him. I might take him to dinner after. To take the shots that I’m gonna deliver that night, round in and round out, it’s gonna be hard.”

Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs), a strong southpaw from San Mateo Atenco, Mexico, is as motivated as ever. When last seen, he was busy swinging at air as Shakur Stevenson made him miss and made him pay constantly during their July 2025 bout.

Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs), who has since ascended to the No. 3 spot on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list, defeated Zepeda by unanimous decision and retained the WBC lightweight title at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.

Roach, meanwhile, settled for 12-round majority draws in each of his last two fights.

The first one came against heavily favored Gervonta Davis in March 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Roach would’ve won that fight if referee Steve Willis counted a knockdown for him when Davis took a knee in the ninth round, but Roach was under the impression that an immediate rematch would at least take place.

That, of course, didn’t happen, which led to him meeting Mexico’s Isaac Cruz on December 6 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Roach (25-1-3, 10 KOs) moved up five more pounds to fight for Cruz’s WBC interim 140-pound championship.

For the second time in nine months, the three judges sitting ringside were unable to pick a winner, leaving Roach with his third draw in his past 13 fights. Needless to say, the slick contender is working his tail off to make sure it doesn’t happen for a third straight time.

“William Zepeda virtually has one style, one way,” Roach said. “No one has seen him fight a different way. He has little defensive lapses that I can capitalize on. I think the fight will be pretty challenging, but that’s what I’m putting myself through hell for during training camp. Come fight night, we’ll be ready for all obstacles.”

TNT will televise Roach-Zepeda in the United States as the 12-round main event of a multi-bout broadcast scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). DAZN’s worldwide coverage of the main portion of the Roach-Zepeda undercard is also set to begin at 8 p.m. ET in the U.S. and 1 a.m. BST Sunday in the United Kingdom.