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William Zepeda Chases Title With No Intentions of Changing His Style

William Zepeda wins fights with pressure and power. Despite going three fights without a knockout, he doesn't seem intent on changing his style.
Terrance Biggs|
Willaim Zepeda
Willaim Zepeda | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wir

Boxers usually possess the ability to adapt and the skill of adjusting in the middle of a fight. Plans can lead to different outcomes, as seen when Muhammad Ali successfully employed the rope-a-dope against George Foreman and when Oscar De La Hoya foolishly stayed away from Felix Trinidad.

For William Zepeda, making substantial changes or altering his preparation is not part of his game plan. With the eyes of a nation and the boxing world upon Saturday's fight with Lamont Roach Jr., who's also primed to go, Zepeda doesn't seem like he will alter his approach when he steps through the ropes.

Lamont Roach
Lamont Roach | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Zepeda plans to put his power on display

Zepeda wants to move forward, using the punching acumen that ended 27 of his 33 career victories. “It’ll be very beneficial for me to continue showing my power and ability the way I have in the past," he told BoxingScene.

Pressure is the calling card on which Zepeda rests his record and performance. With choppy strides, he attempts to cut off the ring, limiting opponent movement. As a result, Zepeda trudges forward and unleashes a barrage of punches.

However, there is one punch that he relies upon most: the left hook, and you can count on him throwing it at all levels. Either he will dig into the ribs with it or change levels and embark on a headhunting mission.

Zepeda learned from Stevenson and Farmer fights

Zepeda is coming off his first career loss, a 12-round unanimous decision against Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson's agility and slickness thwarted Zepeda's attempts to corner and walk his opponent down. For the first time, he looked several steps slower and a bit out of sync as Stevenson found a way around him and cruised to an easy victory.

Before that, he twice went the distance with Tevin Farmer, another slick fighter who doesn't rely on thudding punches.

“You can get overconfident with a fighter like Tevin Farmer. I learned a lot, like how each fight was different, and I learned similar things from Shakur Stevenson."

In all of those fights, Zepeda could not unleash accurate, meaningful bunches of punches. Instead, he looked to unload one at a time. Now, he will face another challenging opponent, Lamont Roach, in a fight on Saturday.

Lamont Roach punches Gervonta "Tank" Davis during a March 1, 2025 fight.
Lamont Roach punches Gervonta "Tank" Davis during a March 1, 2025 fight. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Roach battled Gervonta Davis to a draw. Davis is known for his fight-ending power, but Roach managed to slip and move, frustrating one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. For Zepeda to claim the WBC lightweight title, he will need to rely on what has granted him the most success.

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Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Terrance is a boxing writer for KO on SI. He's enjoyed over a decade of writing experience, writing for Full Press Coverage, Pro Football Sports Network and Heavy.com, covering both professional and collegiate sports. He is s a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Terrance also votes on postseason awards like the Biletnikoff, Groza, and Thorpe Awards. Biggs earned his bachelor's degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his children and his fiancée, along with playing softball.