NEW YORK, NY — Xander Zayas has arrived after his ninth round stoppage against previously undefeated Slawa Spomer at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden Friday evening. The 22-year old (San Juan, Puerto Rico) for sure made his statement.
The WBO number one contender is now in position for a junior middleweight title, the quest all along for Zayas since turning pro with Top Rank Boxing. Zayas was the co-main event that preceded Keyshawn Davis dethroning Denys Berinchyk in claiming the WBO lightweight title with a left hook in the fourth round.
“This is the fight that will get me to the next level so I am excited about that,” said Zayas (21-0, 13 KO’s) to Latino Sports. “The fight to make for me is Fundora (Sebastian) he’s the WBO champion.”
As the fight continued on Saturday night, round by round, Xander Zayas proved to be the better boxer – Image Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing
Fundora, the 27-year-old and lean Mexican-American known as “The Towering Inferno” is scheduled for his first title defense against Chordale Booker on March 22 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Said Zayas who used a left hook to the body that put a halt to the scheduled 10-rounder, “I knew from the first round that he would wear down little by little. In the third or fourth, I hurt him, and he got me with a good shot. But I went to my corner, and they told me to keep fighting intelligently because we had 10 rounds to wear him down. And by the eighth and ninth, they told me, let’s step it up with the combinations, and we started to land with more power to the finish.”
The finish was all about Zayas and his progression to the top, a prospect with Top Rank who has been slowly put in the title mix. It was the first stoppage in his last three fights and Top Rank officials said they plan for Zayas to probably return to the Garden in June at their annual event on the eve of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade…
Xander Zayas connects with his right for a successful blow to the head on Slawa Spomer – Image Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing
However, Zayas believes now is the time. He wants a shot at the title, though showing patience throughout the process. Each fight he shows that progression but resilient with his ability to throw body punches that devastate opponents.
The logistics of boxing say Zayas may be ready for the championship opportunity, then again probably not immediately with Fundora having to make his first title defense a success. And Hall of Fame Top Rank promoter Bob Arum will have to get around the logistics of negotiating an eventual title fight that will be determined.
He also expressed an interest in challenging IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev in a division that also has Terence Crawford the WBO interim champion, again logistics and a part of boxing that Zayas and Arum will discuss in the next few months.
It’s Xander Zayas time @TheTheaterAtMSG 🇵🇷🥊#LatinoSports #Boxing #PuertoRico #TopRank #ZayasSpomer | 📸: @Ring786 pic.twitter.com/DyTSmFgFxW
— Latino Sports (@LatinoSports) February 15, 2025
He went to the body early and his relentless attack had Spomer (20,1, 11 KO’s) looking to find a way. And Zayas developed a commanding amount of points on the scorecards before the fight was stopped. Spomer had minimal defense and a left to the body that never rebounded as Zayas kept the pressure going until referee Charlie Fitch had seen enough and called an end to the proceedings.
His Puerto Rican fans of course were all in favor of the exciting and young superstar who gains more popularity each time he appears in New York City, his second home at the Garden that reminds many of Hall of Fame greats Félix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto that packed the Garden main arena under the Top Rank banner during their illustrious careers.
Post-fight press scrum with Xander Zayas, who is now at a perfect 21-0 record after his TKO win tonight 🥊🇵🇷#LatinoSports #Boxing #XanderZayas #TopRank | 📸: @Ring786 pic.twitter.com/QLIoEyIQ7Y
— Latino Sports (@LatinoSports) February 15, 2025
“On paper, he was my toughest opponent to date,” he said. “And I stopped him. I have passed every test that has been put in front of me, and I feel I’m ready to fight for a world title right now. I want that next.”
Pro Debut Success for Juanmita: Junior Bantamweight: Juanmita López De Jesús (1-0, 1 KO) the Top Rank prospect from Caguas Puerto Rico, the 2024 Olympian had a successful pro debut with a devastating early knockout over Bryan Santiago (1-2-1) with a left uppercut that put him in the middle of the canvas at :59 of the opening round. López is the son of former two-division world champion Juan Manuel “JuanMa” López…
The pro-debut for Puerto Rican Juanmita López De Jesús went by quick tonight with a first round KO on Bryan Santiago 🥊💥#Boxing #TopRank #PuertoRico #LatinoSports | 📸: @Ring786 pic.twitter.com/lwW0cIPg9s
— Latino Sports (@LatinoSports) February 15, 2025
Another Top Rank Olympian, welterweight Dominican Rohan Polanco (15-0, 10 KOs) made quick work of Jean Carlos Torres (Trugillo, Puerto Rico) (22-2, 17 KOs), with a second-round TKO. Polanco dropped Torres with a left hook to the side of the head in the opening round.
In the second, an array of unanswered punches and referee Eddie Claudio stopped the contest at 1:48.
Rohan Polanco improved his pro-record to 15-0, 10 KO, on Saturday night with a second-round TKO on Jean Carlos Torres Image Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing
And it was the young Top Rank prospect Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) the newest champion in the Top Rank stable. The 25-year old got around 36-year old Berinchyk’s constant movement early, who won the vacant title in May. The third round consistency and right hands dropped the former champion, a left to the body.
A midsection attack, Davis went to work in the fourth. Berinchyk went into a defensive mode but Davis countered with a right and went down dropping him to the canvas.
Keyshawn Davis and Bob Arum spend a moment together after Davis’ win on Saturday night – Image Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Boxing
The 2020 and 2002 Olympian, winner of a silver medal said “I want anybody who has the balls to step in the ring and fight me. There are two 135-pound champions that I would love to fight. If they have the guts to step in the ring with ‘The Businessman,’ tell them to send me a contract, or I can send them one.”
Those champions referred to are Gervonta Davis (WBA) and Shakur Stevension (WBC).
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X (Twitter): @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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