Xander Zayas, age 22, will take on upset-minded Mexican Jorge Garcia for the vacant WBO junior middleweight championship on Saturday, July 26th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In the co-feature, Brooklyn native Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and unbeaten Namibian Mateus Heita will collide for the WBC interim featherweight world title. And, in the eight-round televised opener, Mexican American prospect Emiliano Fernando Vargas returns against Ecuador’s Alexander Espinoza in a junior welterweight showdown. Zayas-Garcia, Carrington-Heita, and Vargas-Espinoza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions, tickets go on sale Friday, June 6th at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com.
“When we signed Xander at the age of 16, he was a teenager with all the potential in the world. He’s now an accomplished young contender with a tremendous opportunity to win his first world title,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Jorge Garcia has been impressive lately, and I expect an action-packed, dramatic main event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.”
Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) looks to become Puerto Rico’s next world champion almost six years after turning pro as a 17-year-old. He became a contender in August 2022 after knocking out Elias Espadas. Zayas also has a one-sided decisions over Damian Sosa and former champion Patrick Teixeira in 2024. He kicked off his 2025 campaign in February with a ninth-round stoppage over German puncher Slawa Spomer. Zayas grew up idolizing Miguel Cotto, another Puerto Rican standout who turned pro under the Top Rank banner. Cotto won his first world title, the WBO junior welterweight strap, in September 2004. More than two decades later, Zayas looks to follow the lead of his boxing hero.
”This is a dream I’ve worked hard for my entire life. I’ve got a good opponent in Jorge Garcia, a Mexican hungry to become a world champion,” Zayas said. “But I’m ready to raise the Puerto Rican flag high in victory and become a world champion at 22 years old. See you all on July 26th.”
Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) enters the assignment against Zayas riding an eight-fight winning streak, which began with a seventh-round knockout over then-unbeaten countryman Hector Andres Reyes in June 2023. During that streak, he has played the road warrior role, knocking out Angel Cruz Johnson in the Dominican Republic and Roarke Knapp in South Africa. In April, Garcia snatched the ‘0’ of the highly touted unbeaten U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell, securing a split decision over “Bad News” in Oceanside, California. “A lot of people thought I wasn’t going to win my last fight, but I scored a stunning upset,” said Garcia. “Even though I was the underdog, I shocked the world. This fight won’t be any different. Becoming a world champion is my dream, and I’m ready to make it come true on July 26 with a dominant win over Xander Zayas. Mexico will have a new champion this summer.”
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
May 14, 2025: Gustavo Olivieri, president of the WBO announced the identity of the co-challenger of Xander Zayas for his organization's vacant junior middleweight championship. Olivieri tweeted: "Re: vacant WBO 154-pound title, Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia. The WBO confirms that Top Rank, Golden Boy, and Zanfer Promotions have reached an agreement for the subject matter bout. Official fight date and venue to be announced." Boxingtalk deems Garcia a worthy challenger. The Mexcian has a record of 33-4 and is riding high off a win over pre
viously undefeated U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell. He is 15-1 in his last sixteen fights, with the one loss coming by split decision to then-undefeated Etoundi Michael William by split decision.
May 2, 2025: According to the social media page of WBO president Gustavo Olivieiri, "The WBO Championship Committee has unanimously voted to strip Sebastian Fundora of his WBO junuor middleweight (154-pound) title, effective immediately. The Executive Committee has ratified the decision. Accordingly, the title is now vacant. Resolution to be published shortly." The decision seems to have been prompted by Fundora's failure to follow through on his obligation to fight mandatory contender Xander Zayas, a fight that was set to go to purse bid on May 2nd. Fundora remains the WBC champion.
April 28, 2025: WBO / WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora has so far failed to reach an agreement with his WBO mandatory contender, Xander Zayas. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri wrote, "Be advised that the WBO Championships Committee has ruled that purse bids for Fundora vs. Zayas will be conducted this Friday, May 2, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas." Olivieri indicated that the winning purse bid will be split 75% for Fundora and 25% for Zayas.
April 11, 2025: WBO president Gustavo Olivieri wrote, "Fundora/Zayas negotiations - Be advised that Top Rank / PBC have jointly requested an extension of the negotiation period. [The WBO Championship] Committee grants extension until Friday, April 25th, no later than 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)."
March 25, 2025: The WBO has designated Puerto Rico's undefeated Xander Zayas as its mandatory challenger in the junior middleweight division, stating that "Champion Sebastian Fundora must fulfill his WBO mandatory title defense obligation in his next bout against Zayas. Failure to do so will result in [the WBO Championship] Committee proceeding in accordance with WBO rules and regulations. Fundora will not be permitted any intervening bout, the two teams shall commence negotiation immediately to fulfill the title defense pursuing to the WBO rules. They have 20 days to reach an agreement after which a per proceeding will be ordered. If no agreement is reached. The minimum bid under WBO rules is $200,000." Fundora also holds the WBC title, so he has leverage to decline to fight Zayas and still remain WBC champion.
