Rising 154-pound star Xander Zayas is ready to headline his first occasion when he faces the previous WBO junior-middleweight world champion Patrick Teixeira (34-4, 25 KOs) on Saturday night time June eighth on the Hulu Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard, stay on ESPN.
Nineteen years in the past, High Rank initiated its Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend custom when Miguel Cotto defeated Muhammad Abdullaev by means of ninth spherical TKO and retained his WBO super-lightweight world title. Now the undefeated 21-year-old Xander Zayas will comply with in his idol’s footsteps.
A product of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the then 16-year-old Xander Zayas signed his professional boxing contract with High Rank in March 2019. Seven months later, the extremely touted prospect, made his professional debut by scoring a primary spherical knockout victory over Genesis Wynn.
By way of his first sixteen professional bouts, Xander Zayas confirmed regular progress, and he additionally illustrated the truth that he checks all the packing containers. Zayas has a powerful jab, elite hand pace, good energy, and glorious punch placement.
Along with having all the bodily instruments, Zayas possesses ring intelligence, and he’s a younger fighter who has a variety of poise. When Zayas competed on the Luis Alberto Lopez-Joet Gonzalez undercard again in September 2023, he confronted Roberto Valenzuela Jr.
Within the opening spherical of the competition, Zayas landed a sneaky left hook that despatched Valenzuela all the way down to the canvas. Valenzuela was capable of stand up, however with 52 seconds left to go within the first spherical, Valenzuela went down for a second time. Zayas delivered a left hand within the third spherical that triggered a minimize on Valenzuela’s nostril.
Even supposing the minimize on the bridge of Valenzuela’s nostril bled profusely, the bout continued. Because the minimize continued to pour out blood, Zayas stored touchdown correct pictures, and the referee determined to place a halt to the competition within the fifth spherical.
In his most up-to-date bout in opposition to Jorge Fortea, Xander Zayas was dominant as he stopped Fortea when he landed a well-placed physique shot within the fifth spherical. Now Zayas is on the verge of stepping as much as face a person who’s a former world champion.
Within the thirty second battle of his professional boxing profession again in November 2019, Brazilian boxer Patrick Teixeira upset Carlos Adames and gained the interim WBO junior-middleweight title. After being elevated to full champion, Teixeira misplaced by means of unanimous choice to Brian Castano.
In his most up-to-date bout in March 2024, 33-year-old Patrick Teixeira posted a fourth spherical TKO victory over Edison Saltarin. Now the previous world champion is able to face the WBC’s seventh ranked contender. A victory over Zayas is strictly what Teixeira wants with a view to insert his identify again into world title rivalry.
Xander Zayas and Patrick Teixeira had been initially scheduled to face one another on February sixteenth, however as a result of an undisclosed harm, Zayas withdrew from the battle. After experiencing a minor delay the 2 boxers will lastly face one another in June, as their matchup has been elevated from co-main to the headliner.
Rising star Xander Zayas (18-0, 12 KOs) is roughly one month away from fulfilling his dream of being the headliner on Puerto Rican Day Weekend. Zayas is appreciative of the chance and he’s able to placed on a present.
“Representing Puerto Rico on a date wherein Boricua tradition is widely known and honored represents a sacred dedication that I’ve with my folks,” mentioned Zayas. “On June 8, I gained’t simply be preventing for myself. I’ll be preventing for every Puerto Rican who all the time perseveres when the going will get powerful.”
