Xander Zayas rises to another level in win over Jorge Garcia on Top Rank’s last ESPN show

Xander Zayas eclipsed Jorge Garcia by unanimous decision in a Puerto Rican versus Mexican clash at the Madison Square Garden Theater, earning the WBO Light middleweight title on Top Rank’s last ESPN card. He also became the youngest active champion in the boxing world. 

Garcia got the opportunity because he upset Charles Conwell (21-1) by split decision on April 19. He said during the weekly fight prep that a win against Zayas would change his career and life for his family. So he subsequently tried to rattle the 22-year-old Puerto Rican with powerful blows, awkward moves and aggression.

Zayas’ superior footwork got him out of harm’s way, and his jab kept meeting Garcia’s face and body. Soon the two and three-punch combinations started landing, and it was like Zayas was taking a test he had the answers to.

Even with Garcia trying to make it a slugfest in round six, Zayas outboxed him, landing a blistering overhand right that briefly stumbled Garcia.

Zayas dictated the range as the fight went on, level changing on eight connected jabs and delivering a mean left check hook that knocked vaseline and sweat off Garcia’s head in round seven.

Garcia’s corner wiped his face, pleaded for more combinations before the 12th and said it was the round of his life. Yet Zayas moved around him, piercing the guard and landing three swift strikes on his face. Despite not having finishing power, he never needed it as his talent outmatched Garcia’s.

He approached Garcia before the official results, saying in Spanish, “You are a warrior. You deserved this fight. It was really an honor for me to be here with you today…”

The cards favored Zayas: 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112. 

At the post-fight presser, the new champion  (22-0) was asked for his thoughts about fighting Sebastian Fundora (23-1-1), the 6-foot-6 WBC light middleweight titlist. Fundora vacated the WBO belt to fight Tim Tszyu, whom he wiped out in seven rounds on July 19. Zayas said, “He shouldn’t have lost it in the first place.” 

He’s looking forward to a title defense in Puerto Rico, which he says Bob Arum, the founder and CEO of Top Rank, promised. Zayas also said he is interested in fighting Fundora and Vergil Ortiz Jr (23-0).

Also of note: The most explosive pre-lim was Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (3-0) dismantling Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez (5-3). The former was so dominant that the ref called a premature stoppage after a cupping right hand brought down his helpless foe. It was Gonzalez-Sanchez’s third time touching the canvas. The previous two came from a skull-piercing overhand left and getting swarming in the corner.

Then junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (15-0) took out Alexander Espinoza (20-4-1) with a blistering overhand right 44 seconds into the first round of eight scheduled. 

And Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (16-0) outclassed Mateus Heita (14-1) in their featherweight duel, winning on the cards 120-108, 119-109, 119-109.