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Puerto Rican rising star Xander Zayas became Top Rank’s youngest signee at age 16. Now, at just 22, he’s ready to seize his first world title.
Zayas will take on upset-minded Mexican puncher Jorge Garcia for the vacant WBO junior middleweight world championship on Saturday, July 26, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
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 6 at 12 p.m. ET and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com.
Bob Arum Big Believer in Xander Zayas
“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 to win the NABO title.
Zayas has made seven defenses, including one-sided decisions over Damian Sosa and former world champion Patrick Teixeira in 2024. He scored a savage ninth-round stoppage over German puncher Slawa Spomer in February.
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 26.”
Win Over Charles Conwell Secures Fight for Jorge Garcia
Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) is riding an eight-fight winning streak. 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 scored an upset win over unbeaten U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell, securing a split decision over “Bad News” in Oceanside, California. The good news from the Conwell triumph was a WBO #2 ranking and a shot at the title.
“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.”
Bruce Carrington Stays Busy
Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) has not found a long list of willing opponents. Currently ranked first by the WBC and WBO, second by the WBA, and fourth by the IBF, Carrington went 4-0 in 2024.
“It’s always a thrill to fight in my city, and I can’t wait to bring the ‘Shu Shu Show’ back to The Theater at Madison Square Garden,” Carrington said. “The featherweight division is full of champions who have refused my challenge, so I credit Heida for accepting. That said, I will take out my frustration on him on July 26 and continue putting the division on notice.”
Heita (14-0, 9 KOs) is the latest hopeful from Namibia, a coastal African nation that has produced world champions Julius Indongo, Paulus Moses, and Paulus Ambunda. A stablemate of longtime contender Jeremia Nakathila, Heita turned pro as a junior featherweight in 2018, going 9-0 before moving up in weight. Last November, he stopped Tatenda Biningu in nine rounds to win the WBO Africa featherweight title. In April, Heita notched a one-sided 12-round decision over South Africa’s Abdulaziz Kunert.
“I’ve proven to the world that I’m a world-class boxer, and facing the best has always been my ambition because I believe I’m destined for greatness,” said Heita. “I see Bruce as just another obstacle to becoming a world champion. There’s nothing particularly special about him — he’s simply another challenge I will overcome.”
Emiliano Fernando Vargas Back in Action
Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs), the youngest son of former world champion Fernando Vargas, has continued to live up to the family legacy. The 20-year-old moved up to junior welterweight last year and went 4-0 with four knockouts.
In March, he began the year with a highlight-reel second-round TKO against Giovannie Gonzalez. He returned five weeks later to stop Juan Leon in two on the Naoya Inoue-Ramon Cardenas undercard in May. Espinoza (20-3-1, 9 KOs) is an 11-year pro coming off back-to-back wins at home following a loss to Rogelio Jimenez last July.
“Like 50 Cent said, I run New York. All jokes aside, I’m ready to perform on the biggest stage and continue to win,” Vargas said. “Each fight is one step closer to becoming the world champion God called me to be.”
The ESPN+-streamed undercard is scheduled to include second-generation Puerto Rican star Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (2-0, 1 KO) and the pro debut of Team USA amateur sensation Julius ‘JuJu’ Ballo.
Lopez, the son of former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, will return in a four-round junior bantamweight tilt against Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez (5-2, 4 KOs). In April, the 19-year-old fought in his home country in his last outing, winning by decision over Malik Quinonez-Torres over four rounds.
Ballo, a decorated international amateur standout, will fight Brandan Ayala (2-0, 1 KO) in a four-round featherweight bout. The 22-year-old enters the paid ranks with an accomplished resume that includes wins over several of the nation’s elite.
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