WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman teased upcoming news about lightweight champion William Zepeda while the two sat together at a restaurant. Sulaiman offered no opponent or date in the 28-second video.
“Many news to come with our great champion,” said Sulaiman on X.
Zepeda (34-1, 27 KOs) is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision over Lamont Roach Jr. on August 1. His first defense has not been announced, leaving interim champion Jadier Herrera waiting for clarity.
Herrera was excluded when the sanctioning body selected Zepeda and Roach to contest its vacant lightweight championship. That was a surprising decision because the Cuban had already won the interim belt by stopping Ricardo Núñez in the eighth round in January.
Allowing Zepeda to make a voluntary defense first would leave Herrera waiting again and further weaken the value of the interim championship.
Beyond that obligation, several major opponents are available. WBO champion Abdullah Mason offers a unification between two aggressive southpaws, while Andy Cruz would bring a far more technical test. Cruz does not own a lightweight title, but his timing, movement and amateur background would make him one of the most dangerous choices available.
A rematch with Shakur Stevenson looks less likely. Stevenson defeated Zepeda by unanimous decision in July 2025, but the Mexican forced him through a physically difficult 12 rounds with constant pressure and body punching. Stevenson has since moved to light welterweight and has shown little interest in revisiting that bout.
The clip does not establish that Herrera will be next. Any announcement involving Zepeda, however, must explain what happens to the interim champion the WBC already passed over once.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Latest Boxing News:
Last Updated on 2026/08/25 at 9:24 AM
