“What I love though about Lamont Roach is how calm he can be in a storm,” Dirrell said to Fighthype. “He’s a world champion for a reason because he has such a sound mind. But he has to learn how to execute more.
“He did a good job against Pitbull [Cruz], but look, that was another draw. That boy got two draws in a row. That’s so rare. It’s scary. They’re legitimate because he doesn’t produce enough offense. He really needs to turn up the heat. He doesn’t fight with a sense of urgency when he needs to. He’s calm to a fault.”
Dirrell believes Roach’s patient style has contributed to the close scorecards in his recent fights, arguing that he cannot afford to leave rounds up to the judges against a volume puncher like Zepeda.
“You can’t trust the judges,” Dirrell said. “If it’s possible, don’t leave it in the judge’s hands. Any close fight Lamont has, we see draws or a potential loss. I just feel like he’s too calm.
“Zepeda is going to come and he’s going to punch, punch, and punch.”
Despite the criticism, Dirrell still sees plenty to like in Roach’s game. He described him as an elite counterpuncher who excels at fighting in close quarters, but suggested subtle adjustments with his footwork could help him control the action more effectively.
“Use more step-backs, pivots, execute. Don’t execute from the same spot,” Dirrell said. “His specialty is literally coming off your shot. He’s really good at catching and shooting.”
Dirrell stopped short of predicting a winner, saying he wants to watch more of Zepeda before making a final pick. However, he believes Roach’s ring IQ could give him an important advantage if he can consistently capitalize on Zepeda’s relentless but predictable pressure.
“Lamont is going to be able to read that, and that’s the advantage he has in that fight,” Dirrell said.
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