By Norm Frauenheim
LAS VEGAS — Bear Bryant, who is to college football what Elvis is to rock-and roll, once said a tie is like kissing your sister. Translation: Forget about it.
Lamont Roach Jr. intends to.
Roach has more than one. He’s got two — two straight, a double shot of the dreaded draw that is boxing’s version of what was Bryant’s tie. College football got rid of it for the most part, although there are still games that end in a draw because of weather. Boxing hasn’t been quite so fortunate, mostly because there not much that can be done about inclement judging.
It happens.
Still, there is a one way to at least correct it. To quote another football guy, Win baby, just win. Roach intends to take Al Davis’ advice against William Zepeda Saturday in an intriguing lightweight bout for a vacant World Boxing Council title at Virgins Hotels.
Roach is coming off the double draw, both in 2025 — first with Gervonta “Tank” Davis in March and again with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in December. Both were controversial. Both were majority draws, one scorecard for each and one tied, But there was no majority in the crowd. It was divided and still is.
Only Roach has an opportunity at a final say-so against Zepeda, an aggressive fighter promoted by Oscar De La Hoya. He promises to deliver a definitive performance with a versatile skill set.
“I think I will because of what I present in the ring,” Roach said Thursday at the final news conference for the DAZN-streamed bout. “I have hundreds of skills and a ton of will.’’
In Zepeda, he faces a fighter known for what pundits call volume punching. There are a lot them. The key for Roach is to alter his skills often enough to perhaps fatigue Zepeda.
“That’s a bad m-effer,’’ Zepeda said when asked what he thought of Roach when he looked at him. “He’s got experience. He knows what he’s doing. He already knows what it is to be a champion.’’
Roach, of Washington DC, an already held a would junior-light weight, 130-pound belt. He hopes to emerge from Saturday’s bout with a double that will supplant the double that hurts and haunts. Beat Zepeda and he’s a two division champion.
He looked at the WBC’s belt Thursday and said:
“I can’t wait to cuddle with it.’’
