Tim Bradley isn’t abandoning Lamont Roach Jr. just yet, however the Hall of Famer admits his confidence has slipped after taking a better take a look at William Zepeda’s benefits ahead of Friday’s vacant WBC lightweight title fight in Las Vegas.
Bradley initially leaned toward Roach before taking a deeper take a look at the matchup. Now, he now not sounds convinced the previous WBA super featherweight champion can keep Zepeda’s relentless attack under control.
“I said Roach, but I’m not confident in my pick in any respect,” Bradley said on his Into the Storm show.
Bradley’s biggest concern is volume. Roach often fights selectively on offense, while Zepeda throws nearly twice as many punches. He questioned whether judges will reward precision over constant activity if Zepeda controls the pace from the opening bell.
“You bought one guy that’s very choosy and the opposite guy, he don’t give a rattling. He’s just letting his hands go,” Bradley said. “Wherever they land, wherever they fall, he in your grill all night.”
Roach’s lone defeat also caught Bradley’s attention. Southpaw Jamel Herring used his size and work rate to earn a unanimous decision, and Bradley sees similarities with what Zepeda brings to the ring.
“The one loss on his resume [came] to a southpaw,” Bradley said. “Herring outworked him.”
That comparison doesn’t guarantee history repeats itself. Roach stays one in all the game’s sharpest technicians and has shown he can frustrate aggressive opponents. His defense gives him a legitimate path to victory if he can disrupt Zepeda’s rhythm.
The true query is whether or not Roach can construct enough of a lead on the scorecards before Zepeda’s pressure begins to pile up.
“It’s such as you got a machine in front of you,” Bradley said. “You going to wish a knockout, otherwise you going to should hurt this man really, really bad.”
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Last Updated on 2026/07/30 at 2:59 AM