Xander Zayas’s defensive style of fighting will be tested tonight in his 12-round clash against pressure fighter Jorge Garcia for the vacant WBO junior middleweight title at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City.
Garcia Threatens Zayas’s Undefeated Record
Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) presents a massive test for Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs), as he has talent, unlike the 21 fighters that Xander has been matched against by his promoters at Top Rank. Although Jorge Garcia is nowhere near the top five 154-pounders in the division, he’s still far superior to the level of opposition that Zayas has been matched against in his six-year pro career.
Main Card: Zayas, Carrington, Vargas
- Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia Perez
- Bruce Carrington vs. Mateus Heita
- Emiliano Vargas vs. Alexander Espinoza
Preliminary Undercard at 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+
- Rohan Polanco vs. Quinton Randall
- Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez
- Yan Santana vs. Aaron Alameda
- Steven Navarro vs. Cristopher Rios
- Julius Ballo vs. Brandan Ayala
Top Rank’s Zayas Star Plan
Tonight’s event will be the last for Top Rank with ESPN, as the company ends its broadcast deal. Interestingly, Top Rank has chosen Zayas to headline against Garcia rather than a more proven fighter with a more entertaining, crowd-pleasing style of fighting.
It suggests their desire to catapult the Puerto Rican fighter Zayas into stardom. They want to make him into a mega-star like past fighters from the Island. It’s more problematic because he can’t punch and is a hit-and-run type of fighter.
Carrington’s Featherweight Championship Match
In the chief support fight, Bruce Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) battles for the vacant WBC interim featherweight title against #11-ranked fringe contender Mateus Hiata (14-0, 9 KOs) in a 12-round contest.
The selection of Hiata gives Carrington, 28, a better chance of winning compared to if Top Rank had selected one of the higher-ranked contenders. This is skillful matchmaking on their part, just as they’re doing with their headline fighter, Zayas.
Carrington is a good basic slugger, but he’s already been exposed by Sulaiman Segawa last year. He was fortunate to get the win over the Ugandan-born Segawa. Nevertheless, the fight showed the flaws in Carrington’s game, revealing that he’s not the fighter that fans were led to believe.
Last Updated on 07/26/2025
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