Xander Zayas is set on making his homecoming title defense in Puerto Rico more than a showcase. The newly crowned WBO super-welterweight champion has dismissed the idea of taking an easier fight and is pushing instead for a high-stakes unification bout.
Zayas captured the vacant WBO belt on July 26 with a unanimous decision win over Jorge Garcia Perez at Madison Square Garden Theater. His January return is expected to be part of Top Rank’s upcoming broadcast deal, though the new partnership has yet to be finalized. While Top Rank proposed Giovanni Santillan as an opponent, Team Zayas turned down the welterweight contender, insisting the Puerto Rican star wants a sterner test.
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The fighter at the top of his list is Abass Baraou, the freshly elevated WBA champion. The 30-year-old German secured the interim belt with a hard-fought win over Yoenis Tellez on August 23 before being upgraded to full champion following Terence Crawford’s move up to super-middleweight. A unification between Zayas and Baraou would add major significance to Zayas’ first defense.
Puerto Rican greats like Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto often took lower-risk opponents when returning home, but Zayas is aiming to raise the bar. “Although we’ve told him the opponent doesn’t really matter in a homecoming fight like this, he wants a tougher fight,” an official connected to the talks said.
Zayas has also voiced interest in future clashes with WBC champion Sebastian Fundora, who faces Keith Thurman next month, and WBC interim champion Vergil Ortiz Jr., who meets Erickson Lubin in November. But for now, the focus is on turning his homecoming into a defining moment - one that proves he’s ready to stand alongside the division’s elite.
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