Oscar De La Hoya believes William Zepeda’s first professional defeat will produce a more complete fighter. As Zepeda prepares to face Lamont Roach for the vacant WBC lightweight title on Saturday, the Golden Boy promoter expects the fighter to reveal improvements that were absent before his unanimous decision loss to Shakur Stevenson.
Rather than relying solely on relentless pressure, Golden Boy promoter De La Hoya predicts Zepeda will arrive with a style built around smarter offense and stronger defensive habits.
“The evolution, he probably didn’t even know it, happened,” De La Hoya said to DAZN Boxing. “When you lose for the first time, you evolve as a fighter naturally. You don’t know it’s happening, but in the gym, you’re trying new things. Come fight night, things are going to happen with things you never did before in the ring.”
De La Hoya expects those changes to become obvious once the opening bell rings.
“He’s going to throw more punches. He’s going to move his head more. He’s going to have lateral movement. He’s going to be a whole new fighter come Saturday night,” said De La Hoya. “The evolution is not going to be throw more punches, as we know. The evolution is going to be calculated. How do we throw better combinations, faster combinations, better footwork, and when do we take a step back when we have to?”
Those adjustments would represent a significant change for Zepeda, whose pressure-heavy style has carried him through most of his career. Stevenson repeatedly disrupted that approach by controlling distance. He also limited Zepeda’s offensive rhythm over 12 rounds.
Saturday’s fight gives Zepeda an opportunity to show whether De La Hoya’s confidence is justified. If Zepeda combines his trademark work rate with sharper defense and more disciplined punch selection, Roach may face a different opponent from the one Stevenson defeated.
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Last Updated on 2026/07/30 at 5:52 PM
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