On Saturday, at the theater in Madison Square Garden, New York, Xander Zayas and Jorge Garcia will compete for the vacant WBO junior middleweight title. Zayas, ranked 8th by ESPN and boasting an undefeated record of 21-0 with 13 knockouts, aims to maintain his perfect streak since his last fight in February. The 22-year-old from San Juan, Puerto Rico, previously stopped the then-titleholder Sulwaspomer in the ninth round at the same venue.
Zayas will be challenged by Jorge Garcia, who comes in as the underdog with a record of 33-4 and 26 knockouts. This bout is Zayas’ first opportunity to vie for a world championship. Garcia, 28, has won his last eight matches, with his last loss being a split decision against Etondi Michel William in January 2023.
In the co-main event, undefeated fighters Blues “Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) and Mateus Haita (14-0, 9 KOs) will face off for the WBC interim featherweight title in a 12-round battle.
Additional fights on the ESPN Top Rank Boxing: Zayas vs. Garcia card include welterweight Emiliano Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs), son of former world champion Fernando Vargas, who will battle Alexander Espinoza (20-3-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round fight. Other matchups include welterweights Rohan Polanco (16-0, 10 KOs) vs. Quinton Randall (15-2-1, 3 KOs) in 10 rounds, featherweights Yan Carlos Santana-Guerrero (14-0, 12 KOs) vs. Aaron Alameda (30-2, 17 KOs) also in 10 rounds, junior bantamweights Steven Navarro (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Cristopher Rios (11-2, 7 KOs) in eight rounds, June Maropes do Jesus (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Jorge Gonzalez Sanchez (5-2, 4 KOs) in a four-round fight, and Julius Ballo’s professional debut against Brandan Ayala (2-0, 1 KO) in a four-round featherweight bout.
Top Rank Boxing will be broadcast starting Saturday, July 26, with preliminary bouts on ESPN+ and Disney+ at 5:10 PM and main cards airing at 9 PM on ESPN, ESPN+, and Disney+. Leading up to the event, fans can watch the press conference on Thursday, July 24, at 2 PM, and the weigh-in on Friday, July 25, at 1 PM on ESPN+ and Disney+. All the action will also be accessible through the Top Rank Boxing Streaming Hub.
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Fan Take: This fight card is a pivotal moment for both rising stars and established fighters, showcasing high-stakes matchups that could reshape the junior middleweight and featherweight divisions. For fighting fans, it promises thrilling action and the potential emergence of new champions, enhancing the sport’s excitement and global appeal.
