Jadier Herrera says he was shocked after the WBC approved William Zepeda and Lamont Roach to fight for the vacant lightweight title, leaving the interim champion waiting for clarity on where he fits in the division.
World Boxing News previously reported that the WBC had cleared Zepeda and Roach to fight for the vacant 135-pound belt after both teams requested that the title be at stake.
The move created a route to a new champion after the belt previously held by Shakur Stevenson became vacant, but it also left Herrera in an awkward position as the current interim titleholder.
Herrera has now given WBN his first response to the decision. He said he still expects to face the eventual winner.
When WBN asked whether the WBC had said anything to him about the approval, Herrera made clear how the situation hit him.
“They haven’t said anything, things happen for a reason, God has better plans,” Herrera exclusively told World Boxing News.
“Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to be in this mess anymore, where other people’s dreams are crushed, where material things matter most, and sometimes we lose our dignity as individuals. But I won’t give them that satisfaction. When I saw the news, it shocked me, but I couldn’t do anything; God has better plans.”
Herrera Responds
Herrera is not reacting as a fringe contender left out of a rankings debate. He is the WBC interim champion, yet the sanctioning body has moved ahead with plans for Zepeda and Roach to fight for the full title.
The 23-year-old sounds disillusioned by the process, but he also makes clear he has no intention of giving ground on the position he earned in the ring.
Interim Champion Left Waiting
That is what makes Herrera’s status so unusual. The WBC can move to fill the vacancy through Zepeda and Roach, but it still leaves Herrera, known as “One Billion,” on the outside despite holding the WBC interim belt.
Herrera won the green and gold strap in January when he stopped Ricardo Nunez in eight rounds, improving to 18-0 with 16 knockouts. Under the usual logic of an interim title, that standing would place the Cuban close to a shot at the full championship once the belt has an owner.
For now, Herrera says he is still expecting the new champion.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.