RISING star Xander Zayas has put pen to paper ahead of his first world title shot against fellow super-welterweight contender Jorge Garcia Perez.
The pair have reached a deal to collide for the vacant WBO strap, with Top Rank, Golden Boy and Zanfer Promotions all coming together around the negotiating table.
Zayas, 21-0 (13 KOs), was originally supposed to face Sebastian Fundora, who ultimately vacated his WBO title, after working his way up towards a mandatory position.
Both parties had been in discussions for quite some time before Fundora, still holding onto his WBC world title, decided to enter a rematch with Tim Tszyu instead.
Their intriguing super-welterweight showdown is expected to take place on July 19, featuring on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s controversial comeback against WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios.
So while Zayas was gearing up for a formidable test against ‘The Towering Inferno,’ he has since been presented with a more winnable fight against second-ranked contender Perez, 33-4 (26 KOs).
But despite not having the same world-level credentials as Fundora, the Mexican nonetheless comes off a sizable upset victory over highly-ranked operator Charles Conwell.
At the same time, though, it could be said that his split decision victory was more so a reflection of Conwell’s lacklustre performance rather than his own ability.
Zayas, on the other hand, enters this next assignment at a vastly different stage in his career.
While the 22-year-old boasts bags of potential, he only has one notable victory – a unanimous decision over former world champion Patrick Teixeira – on his resume.
But nevertheless, a date and venue for what promises to be his sternest test thus far should follow in due course.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri wrote on X yesterday: “The WBO confirms that Top Rank, Golden Boy, and Zanfer Promotions have reached an agreement for the subject matter bout. Official fight date [and] venue to be announced.”
