Madison Square Garden in New York hosts world championship boxing this Saturday night, and Xander Zayas goes for the vacant WBO super welterweight title against Jorge Garcia Perez in the main event.
Both Zayas and Perez will fight for a world title for the first time in their respective careers.
Top Rank promote, and the card is on ESPN+ in the USA.
Zayas (21-0, KO13) has been at ten-round level for some time, beginning with a fifth-round stoppage of Roberto Valenzuela Jr in September 2023, and two fights later he recorded a wide points win against former world champion Patrick Teixeira, before winning all ten rounds against Damian Sosa in September last year.
Zayas was last in action in February, stopping Slawa Spomer in nine rounds.
Mexico’s Perez (33-4, KO26) has won eight straight since a 2023 split decision loss to Etoundi Michel William, and took the vacant IBO strap in South Africa last June, knocking out Roarke Knapp in three.
Perez was last seen in April, upsetting the unbeaten Charles Conwell via split decision.
Prediction: Zayas is a talented operator, and he should have enough to negotiate the test of Perez, likely winning clearly on points.
Bruce Carrington vs Mateus Heita
The WBC interim title is on offer at featherweight, where Bruce Carrington (15-0, KO9) meets Mateus Heita (14-0, KO9).
Carrington is another that has been flirting with world level of late, with his most recent win a third-round stoppage of Enrique Vivas in March, while Heita ventures outside of Africa for the first time.
The Namibian is the WBO Africa champion, defending for the first time in April with a wide points win against Abdulaziz Kunert in Windhoek.
Prediction: Carrington is another top talent, and he can move a step closer to becoming world champion with a stoppage win in this one.
Remaining Undercard:
In ten-rounders, Olympic champion Bakhodir Jalolov (15-0, KO14) has been a slow-burner as a professional, and the heavyweight should record another early win, this time against Gianmarco Cardillo (12-1-2, KO2).
Welterweight prospect Rohan Polanco (16-0, KO10) should defeat Quinton Randall (15-2-1, KO3) on points, and at featherweight, Yan Carlos Santana-Guerrero (14-0, KO12) should also be a points winner against Aaron Alameda (30-2, KO17).
At eight-round level, Steven Navarro (6-0, KO5) has his second contest of the year, and the super flyweight should halt Cristopher Rios (11-2, KO7) inside schedule.
Emiliano Vargas (14-0, KO12) can record a stoppage win against Ecuador’s Alexander Espinoza (20-3-1, KO9) at super lightweight.
In four-rounders, super flyweight hope Juanma Lopez de Jesus (2-0, KO1) can outscore Jorge L. Gonzalez-Sanchez (5-2, KO4), and debutant Jesus Ballo can take his featherweight bout with Branda Ayala (2-0, KO1) on points.
