“I think he expected me to come straight forward the whole fight,” Zepeda said to Sean Zittel post-fight. “Instead I boxed smarter, managed my pace, went in and out. I showed I can do more than just throw punches.”
The Mexican southpaw still applied the relentless pressure that has defined his career, but he varied his attack with better footwork and distance management. Rather than giving Roach the same looks throughout the fight, Zepeda repeatedly stepped in to work the body before moving out of range, limiting Roach’s opportunities to land the right hand cleanly.
The changes weren’t accidental.
“We worked
