When Sebastian Fundora vacated his WBO belt to chase a Tim Tszyu rematch, the sanctioning body handed Puerto Rican prodigy Xander Zayas a golden opportunity—but with a catch. Instead of Fundora or fellow Olympian Charles Conwell, Zayas must now solve rugged Mexican spoiler Jorge “Chino” Garcia Perez this Saturday at Madison Square Garden’s Theater.
Perez earned his unexpected crack by out-hustling Conwell in April, turning the Cleveland contender’s look-ahead mindset into a career-altering upset. The 28-year-old from Sinaloa has never been stopped, boasts a 79 percent knockout rate, and relishes the role of roadblock; three of his four defeats came by razor margins.
Road to title shot: Watch
Zayas enters as Top Rank’s 22-year-old flag-bearer for Puerto Rican boxing’s next era. His nine-round dismantling of unbeaten Slawa Spomer showcased a sharper jab, thumping body work, and a left hook that has fans whispering Trinidad-era nostalgia. Yet Saturday’s assignment demands not fireworks but composure—Perez is built to last and punch back.
The stakes are clear: 12 rounds for the vacant WBO super-welterweight title. A distance win would crown Zayas and validate his maturity; a stoppage would stamp him as a budding star in a division suddenly wide open. Perez, meanwhile, can rewrite his status from spoiler to champion with one more calculated ambush.
Expect the Garden’s Puerto Rican faithful to roar every Zayas surge, but also prepare for stubborn resistance. If Perez makes those cheers uneasy, we’ll learn exactly how ready Zayas is for the pressure that comes with headlining under New York’s brightest lights.
Image Credit: Top Rank