Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia: WBO Junior Middleweight Title Fight
Xander Zayas is set to face Jorge Garcia this Saturday for the vacant WBO junior middleweight title, with the bout taking place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. Zayas, who boasts an impressive record of 21 wins and no losses—including 13 by knockout—has not fought since February. The 22-year-old from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is fresh off a victory over the previously undefeated Slawa Spomer, whom he stopped in the ninth round at the same location.
On the other side of the ring, Garcia, with a record of 33 wins and 4 losses (26 KOs), comes into this championship fight riding the momentum of an eight-bout winning streak. The 28-year-old’s last setback was a narrow split decision loss to Etoundi Michel William back in January 2023. This upcoming match represents Zayas’ inaugural opportunity to compete for a world title.
Co-Main Event and Undercard Highlights
The event will also feature a notable co-main event, where two unbeaten fighters, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) and Mateus Heita (14-0, 9 KOs), will square off in a 12-round contest for the WBC interim featherweight championship.
Fans can also look forward to a packed undercard, including:
- Junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs), son of former champion Fernando Vargas, facing Alexander Espinoza (20-3-1, 9 KOs) over eight rounds.
- A 10-round matchup between welterweights Rohan Polanco (16-0, 10 KOs) and Quinton Randall (15-2-1, 3 KOs).
- A clash of featherweights with Yan Carlos Santana-Guerrero (14-0, 12 KOs) taking on Aaron Alameda (30-2, 17 KOs) in another 10-round contest.
- Junior bantamweights Steven Navarro (6-0, 5 KOs) and Cristopher Rios (11-2, 7 KOs) meeting for eight rounds.
- Juanma Lopez De Jesus (2-0, 1 KO) going up against Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez (5-2, 4 KOs) in a four-round battle.
- Lastly, Julius Ballo will make his professional debut against Brandan Ayala (2-0, 1 KO) in a four-round featherweight match.
Event Details and Broadcast Information
For fans eager to watch the action unfold, the preliminary coverage begins at 5:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 26, available on ESPN+ and Disney+. The main card is slated to kick off at 9 p.m. ET, also on ESPN platforms. Noteworthy events leading up to the fight include a news conference on Thursday, July 24, at 2 p.m. ET and a weigh-in on Friday, July 25, at 1 p.m. ET, both accessible via ESPN+ and Disney+.
To stay updated on boxing matches and related content, fans are encouraged to visit the ESPN boxing hub for the latest news, schedules, and rankings.
