Lamont Roach is already open to a lightweight unification fight with Raymond Muratalla, but both men have business to handle first on August 1 in Las Vegas.
Roach faces William Zepeda for the vacant WBC lightweight title in the main event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, while Muratalla defends his IBF belt against Robson Conceicao in the co-main event. The plan is reportedly for the winners to meet next.
“We would love to have that fight,” Roach said of a possible Muratalla clash. “It’s a lot at stake at 135, and I want to fulfill that.”
Roach says Muratalla was already an option before, but the fight fell through. Since then, Roach has gone through back-to-back majority draws against Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz, leaving him even more determined to leave no doubt against Zepeda.
The pressure-heavy Mexican southpaw is expected to bring volume and aggression, but Roach says he plans to make him respect what is coming back. “When I tell you that he’s going to respect every single bit of what’s going on over here, I promise you, he will.”
A Roach-Muratalla unification would be a major next step at 135lbs, but August 1 has to settle the road first. Roach must beat Zepeda, Muratalla must get past Conceicao, and then the lightweight division may have its next big title fight waiting.
Image Credit: The Ring