21-year-old Xander Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) didn’t just outpoint Mexico’s relentless Jorge Garcia — he unraveled him. Despite Garcia’s (33-5, 26 KOs) attempts to channel the momentum of his Conwell upset, his early aggression was easily defused by Zayas’ disciplined body jab and calculated footwork. Judges scored the bout 116-112, 118-110, and 119-109, but the margin felt wider in the closing rounds, where Zayas operated as a matador to Jorge’s desperate haymakers.
Garcia had his moments, particularly in the sixth, dragging Zayas into the kind of wild exchanges that could’ve turned the tide. But Zayas reset and adjusted — not by backing away, but by doubling down on his punch variety and defense. His jab became a surgical instrument. His footwork refused to be baited into chaos. By the ninth, Garcia looked like a fighter throwing out of obligation, not belief.
“This was boxing 101,” Zayas said. “ I had to box my way to victory. I knew that if I stood in front of him that I’d be fighting his fight. So, I did everything behind the jab. The jab was the key to victory, and we showed that today.”
The win makes Zayas the youngest Puerto Rican to ever claim a world title at 154. But beneath the jubilation, Zayas now has a new challenge. With names like Terence Crawford, Sebastian Fundora, and Bakhram Murtazaliev prowling the division, Zayas enters champion status as the perceived weak link — young, untested, and seen by some as the easiest belt to take. That perception will be tested soon. Zayas’s next opponents won’t be gatekeepers; they’ll be belt holders and sharks. But if Saturday was any indication, he’s got the tools to swim with all of them.
CARRINGTON CRUISES, TARGETS BIG NAMES
Bruce Carrington swept the scorecards against the previously undefeated Mateus Heita to claim the WBC interim featherweight title.
There were no fireworks in this one. Carrington put together a routine outing predicated on range control, pivot counters, a tempo that allowed him to showcase everything in the toolbox, except a memorable finish.
“I wanted to show that I can go the full 12 rounds,” Carrington said. “I showed that championship level through those 12 rounds. I feel good. I feel in shape. I feel sharp and ready for that next level.”
Shu Shu has no interest in stay-busy fights anymore. He made that crystal clear by name-dropping Rafael Espinoza, Stephen Fulton, and Nick Ball not just as wish-list opponents, but as targets. Of the trio, Ball may present the most favorable style matchup, but Espinoza and Fulton carry the kind of championship hardware and legacy stakes that sharpen a contender’s name into something more. Either way, the developmental training wheels are off. Carrington isn’t waiting for opportunities; he’s hunting them.
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VARGAS FOLDS ESPINOZA IN NYC DEBUT
Emiliano Fernando Vargas needed less than a minute. In his first fight on New York soil, the 21-year-old blasted Alexander Espinoza (20-4-1, ( KOs) with a counter right hook that folded the Ecuadorian in 42 seconds.
With Top Rank eyeing its next wave of young stars in the post-ESPN era, Vargas’s explosive knockout, paired with his bloodline as the son of “El Feroz” Fernando Vargas, firmly positions him as a potential future headliner.
“Alexander Espinoza is the most experienced fighter I’ve ever fought,” Vargas said. “I was ready for 15 rounds tonight. It’s a blessing that I got to do it so quick. They don’t pay me for overtime, though. I had to get it done fast. Like I said, I’m ready for top, elite competition. My skills are going to show through.”
It’s no longer about whether Vargas has star potential. It’s about how soon Top Rank throws him in with real fire to test it.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 