Tag Archives: Xander Zayas

Vergil Ortiz Jr. to Fight Erickson Lubin in Defense of His WBC Interim Junior Middleweight Title

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Vergil Ortiz Jr. is going on the defensive…

The 27-year-old Mexican American boxer (23-0, 21 KOs) will return to the ring on November 8 when he faces Erickson Lubin in defense of his WBC interim junior middleweight title at Dickies Center in Fort Worth, TX, Golden Boy Promotions announced Thursday.

Vergil Ortiz Jr.The fight will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.

It’ll be a home game for the hard-hitting Ortiz, who is coming off of an impressive decision win over in February.

“I’m always happy to be a part of the fights that fans want to see,” said Ortiz in a statement.

However, it may not have been the fight Ortiz originally wanted.

Ortiz had been targeting a fight with WBO champion Xander Zayas and the two exchanged barbs over social media. An offer was made to Zayas promoter, Top Rank, with a deadline of last Friday to accept. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement and Ortiz’s management quickly moved to secure a fight with Lubin.

There were also rumors that a fight between Ortiz and Jaron “Boots” Ennis would take place in 2026. ESPN reached out to Ortiz’s representation, who denied that any agreement was in place for that fight to happen.

“Golden Boy literally tried every single major opponent out there for us and no one would fight Vergil,” said Ortiz’s manager, Rick Mirigan, to ESPN. “Even His Excellency (Turki Alalshikh) tried by offering ‘Boots’ life changing money and he said no for a tune up fight. Vergil Ortiz is the most feared man in boxing. Credit to Lubin for doing what no one else would.”

Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) is currently the IBF No. 1 ranked fighter at junior middleweight. He has won three consecutive fights after losing a barnburner against current WBC champion Sebastian Fundora in April 2022. Lubin, 29, has wins over Jeison Rosario and Jesus Ramos, with his only other loss coming against Jermell Charlo in a WBC junior middleweight title fight in 2017, which resulted in a devastating first-round knockout.

Lubin will look to pull off the upset and earn the biggest win of his career as he continues his pursuit to become a world champion.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, said Lubin. “This fight is about redemption; I’m back for everything.”

Xander Zayas Claims Vacant WBO Junior Middleweight with Decision Win Over Jorge Garcia Perez

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Xander Zayas has earned his place in boxing history…

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer has become the youngest current world champion after capturing the vacant WBO junior middleweight title with a dominant decision win over Jorge Garcia Perez at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Xander ZayasFighting at the Garden for the eighth time in his career, Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) was in control from the opening bell, using elusive footwork and counterpunching to quell Garcia Perez’s awkward but powerful offense.

As Zayas picked up on his opponent’s timing, he maintained distance — even when Garcia Perez, standing in a corner after absorbing a combination, tried to bring in Zayas.

When Garcia Perez closed the distance, Zayas tied him up.

All three judges awarded the fight to Zayas (116-112, 118-110, 119-109). Garcia Perez, a 28-year-old from Mexico, saw his eight-fight winning streak end.

In the final 30 seconds of Round 6, Zayas punctuated an exchange with a right hand that sent Garcia Perez (33-4, 26 KOs) stumbling into the ropes. Garcia Perez regained his footing, but Zayas continued to pick him apart.

Garcia Perez appeared to be fading, but he had a strong eighth round, throwing more combinations. But in the ninth, Zayas avoided damage and answered with combinations. He was in control the rest of the way, landing at a high percentage and making Garcia Perez miss.

According to CompuBox, Zayas landed 50 more jabs and 19 more power punches than Garcia Perez despite throwing 81 fewer punches. Garcia Perez connected on 22% of his total punches and 24% of his power punches, while Zayas connected on 38% of his total punches and 45% of his power punches. Zayas also held a 59-31 edge in body shots landed.

“It’s amazing. It’s amazing to represent Puerto Rico at the highest level and to just put the pride of my island where it belongs — at the top,” said Zayas, who is the most recent fighter from Puerto Rico to win the junior middleweight world championship.

Zayas, who is No. 8 in the ESPN junior middleweight rankings, is 22 years, 324 days old. The next-youngest champ is welterweight Brian Norman Jr. at 24 years, 245 days.

Xander Zayas Defeats Patrick Teixeira by Unanimous Decision

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Xander Zayas is proving he’s a contender…

The 21-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer, touted as a contender since he was a teenager, dominated Patrick Teixeira in a unanimous decision victory on Saturday night in New York City to remain undefeated as a junior middleweight prospect.

Zayas (19-0, 12 KOs) also helped establish his boxing future in a different way at Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden. The native of San Juan was fighting on the weekend of the Puerto Rico Day Parade, a tradition for fighters from the island to be stars of the show at the Garden. Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad are among those who’ve made this tradition memorable.

Zayas, who signed with Top Rank when he was 16 and made his pro debut six weeks after his 17th birthday, marched forward from the start with attacks to the body.

He landed 10 body punches in the second round and another nine in the third, while Teixeira managed just three during those six minutes. That put Zayas in full control, and by the end of the fight, he had landed 76 body punches to 12 for Teixeira.

Zayas’ overall advantage in punches landed was 204-63, and he was threatening from start to finish.

But Teixeira (34-5, 25 KOs), who held the WBO junior middleweight world championship in 2021, stood tough and made it to the final bell.

Zayas moved his attack upstairs in Round 8 and snapped Teixeira’s head back several times with hooks and uppercuts. By the end of the ninth, the face of the 33-year-old Brazilian was bloody, and he was in survival mode, moving away from Zayas and throwing little offense back at the young fighter. Teixeira’s movement and toughness enabled him to make it to the end.

Two of the three judges scored every round for Zayas, while the third gave Teixeira one round.

“Thank you to the people of Puerto Rico,” Zayas said afterward. “Since I’m 5 years old, I’ve been dreaming about this.”

Xander Zayas Defeats Jorge Fortea to Set Up Bout Against Patrick Teixeira

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Xander Zayas’ impressive ring performance helps set up his next fight…

The 21-year-old Puerto Rican boxer took only five rounds to dispatch 14-year veteran Jorge Fortea in front of an adoring crowd on Saturday at Dodge City Center near Miami.

Xander ZayasAlthough it probably felt a lot longer to Fortea.

Zayas (18-0, 12 KOs) earned a knockout stoppage at 1:37 of the fifth round after a crushing left hook to Fortea’s body. The body shot brought a merciful end to the junior middleweight bout, which Zayas dominated from start to finish with vicious body combinations and power shots along the ropes. He landed 27 total body shots on Fortea, two of which forced Fortea to take a knee, once in the first and again in the fifth.

The impressive showcase by Zayas sets up a bout on February 16 against Patrick Teixeira, the No. 2-ranked junior middleweight by the WBO.

“We knew he liked to keep his elbows out,” Zayas said of Fortea. “It was just a matter of time since we got him in the first round. After that, he kind of went into survival mode. February 16, [Madison Square Garden], Patrick Teixeira, you’re next!”

In total, Zayas landed 285 punches to 144 for Fortea. Both of Fortea’s eyes were badly swollen by the third. It was the Spanish fighter’s first loss since he suffered a knockout against Anthony Fowler in March 2021.

Jose Pedraza to Fight Keyshawn Davis in 10-Round Lightweight Bout in December

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Jose Pedraza has secured his next opponent…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer and former two-weight world champion has agreed to fight Keyshawn Davis in a 10-round lightweight bout on December 9 in Pembroke Pines, Florida, according to ESPN.

Jose Pedraza Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) is winless in his past three bouts, all of which took place at 140 pounds. A draw with Richard Commey was sandwiched in between close decision losses to junior welterweight contenders Jose Ramirez and Arnold Barboza.

Pedraza last competed at 135 pounds in May 2019.

The slick southpaw was a titleholder at 130 and 135 pounds. Both of his title defeats came against the sport’s elite. Pedraza lost his 130-pound title via TKO to Gervonta Davis in 2017.

The following year, Pedraza dropped his 135-pound title via decision to Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Davis, an Olympic silver medalist, will be stepping way up in competition for his first bout against a former champion. The 135-pound bout will take place on the ESPN undercard of a featherweight title fight between WBO titleholder Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza, sources said.

Davis, 24, is coming off the toughest fight of his career, a majority-decision victory over Nahir Albright earlier this month.

The matchup with Pedraza will be the fourth fight for Davis (10-0, 6 KOs) this year as the prospect looks to become a contender with a victory over the 34-year-old gatekeeper.

Davis, one of the sport’s best prospects, competed at the Olympics in 2021. The Norfolk, Virginia, native is trained by Brian McIntyre, who also guides Terence Crawford.

Junior middleweight prospect Xander Zayas will also fight on the undercard, sources said.