NEW YORK – Puerto Rico has a new boxing star in Xander Zayas, who at 22 became the sport’s youngest current male world champion. He claimed the vacant WBO super welterweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s Jorge Garcia on Saturday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Xander Zayas, 22, claimed the vacant WBO super welterweight world title with a unanimous decision over Jorge Garcia.
Did you know? Zayas’ win headlined the final Top Rank boxing telecast on ESPN, concluding a deal that began in 2017.
Zayas Dominates with Jab and Footwork
Zayas showcased his prowess, stating, “That jab is the key to everything, and we showed it today.” His exceptional footwork allowed him to dictate the distance and tempo of the fight. He consistently landed sharp jabs, forcing Garcia to constantly reset. Garcia’s movement and ring awareness proved insufficient, as he struggled to close the distance effectively and often found himself off-balance when attempting to land punches. This created ample space for Zayas to re-establish control.
Garcia’s attacks were largely telegraphed, making it difficult for him to land clean shots. His most effective moments occurred when he managed to engage at close range, particularly in the final minute of the eighth round. However, Zayas’ impressive stamina enabled him to maintain his movement and avoid significant damage throughout the 12-round bout.
“Man, it’s amazing to be here, to represent Puerto Rico at the highest level and to just put the pride of my island where it belongs: At the top,” Zayas expressed after his victory.
Carrington Secures Interim Featherweight Title
In the co-feature bout, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington secured the WBC interim featherweight title with a convincing unanimous decision win over Mateus Heita. Namibia’s Heita started strong but was soon outmatched by Carrington’s sharp combinations. Carrington landed significant power punches to Heita’s chin and also found success with body shots, hurting Heita in the sixth round.
The fight slowed in the latter half, with Heita showing reluctance to press the action. This allowed Carrington to control the bout with his jab and quick flurries. Despite being in control, Carrington did not aggressively pursue a stoppage, leading to some frustration from the crowd, who voiced their displeasure with boos in the final rounds.
Vargas Delivers Explosive Knockout
The event kicked off with a statement performance from top prospect Emiliano Vargas, who knocked out Alexander Espinoza in just 45 seconds of the first round. Vargas landed a brilliant right-hand pull counter to secure the victory.
Full Fight Results
Main Card
WBO super welterweight title: Xander Zayas def. Jorge Garcia via unanimous decision (116-112, 118-110, 119-109)
WBC interim featherweight title: Bruce Carrington def. Mateus Heita via unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, 120-108)
Super lightweight: Emiliano Vargas def. Alexander Espinoza via first-round KO | Watch video
Prelims
Welterweight: Rohan Polanco def. Quinton Randall via unanimous decision (97-93, 100-90, 99-91)
Super flyweight: Juanmita Lopez De Jesus def. Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez via second-round TKO | Watch video
Featherweight: Yan Santana def. Aaron Alameda via unanimous decision (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)
Super flyweight: Steven Navarro def. Cristopher Rios via unanimous decision (77-75, 77-75, 77-75)
Lightweight: Julius Ballo def. Brandan Ayala via unanimous decision (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
