Rising boxing sensation Xander Zayas has officially committed to his first world title opportunity. He has agreed terms to face fellow super-welterweight contender Jorge Garcia Perez for the vacant WBO championship belt. The agreement was successfully negotiated through a collaboration involving Top Rank, Golden Boy, and Zanfer Promotions.
Zayas, who boasts an undefeated record of 21-0 with 13 knockouts, was initially lined up to challenge Sebastian Fundora for the WBO title. However, Fundora subsequently vacated the WBO strap to pursue a rematch with Tim Tszyu, while retaining his WBC world title.
The highly anticipated super-welterweight encounter between Zayas and Perez is scheduled to take place on July 19. It is expected to be featured on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao`s upcoming bout against WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios.
While a potential fight against Fundora, known as ‘The Towering Inferno,’ would have presented a more formidable challenge, the opportunity against the second-ranked contender Perez, who holds a record of 33-4 with 26 knockouts, appears to be a more winnable fight for Zayas at this stage.
Despite perhaps lacking Fundora`s established world-level pedigree, the Mexican contender Perez recently achieved a notable upset victory over the highly-rated Charles Conwell. However, some analysis of that fight suggested his split decision win might have been more a reflection of Conwell`s less-than-optimal performance rather than an overwhelming display of Perez`s own skills.
On the other hand, Zayas steps into this significant challenge at a different point in his professional journey. Although the 22-year-old possesses considerable potential, his record currently features only one prominent win: a unanimous decision victory against former world champion Patrick Teixeira.
Further details regarding the specific date and the location for this bout, which is expected to represent the sternest test of Zayas`s career to date, are anticipated to be announced shortly.
