Few modern prospects are more universally beloved than junior middleweight Xander Zayas. Since turning professional with Top Rank Inc., at sixteen years old, he has grown up in front of everyone’s eyes as his debut in November 2019 was a first-round knockout in Reno, Nevada.
Xander Zayas returns in the co-main event slot on June 10th, as he will face Ronald Cruz of California, in a ten-round 154-lb bout, which is featured as part of the ESPN telecast, live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Zayas, who has captured the attention of the fight world, now eagerly awaits headlining Madison Square Garden. As this feels like a prelude to the future - Zayas seemingly will be the guy to fight in the New York City market for the Puerto Rican Day parade in the near future. Something his idol Miguel Cotto turned into an annual fight date in his career, which seemingly Zayas is looking to follow in his footsteps
When talking to Zayas you often forget how young he is. The 20-year-old prizefighter, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who resides in Sunrise, Florida, knows his achievements and states the way Jon Rahm cited achievements of Spanish golfers on queue after winning the 2023 Masters. For Zayas, it appears he knows his time is coming - and the excitement radiates from his voice.
“I am excited that [Top Rank] has given me this opportunity, and I am taking advantage of all [it],” said Zayas. “I am excited to be fighting [on the weekend] of the Puerto Rican day parade, it is going to be my first Puerto Rican day parade in New York, [and] my fourth time in MSG. I am excited to put on a show.
As for this time in the great sport of ours called boxing - it is very good. We are getting high-profile fights. Recently, Gervonta Davis fought Ryan Garcia, next week on the same card, Josh Taylor will face Teofimo Lopez, and now we are getting Errol Spence Jr. versus Terence Crawford. No longer does it seem a fight can’t happen, and Zayas seems to take solace in this as he reflected on the current era of boxing.
“It is great for boxing, it is what boxing has been looking for a long time,” said Xander Zayas of the recent infusion of big fights flooding the sport of boxing. “Companies are getting together to make the biggest fights, and the fighters are willing to face the best fighters, and that is something I want to continue doing throughout my career. When it is my time I want to face the [best] fighters, the biggest names, and that is what boxing is all about - you fight the best to be the best.”
