Xander Zayas Wins WBO 154 Pound Title and Calls Out Fundora For Unification Bout
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
New York, NY (July 28th, 2025)– Undefeated Xander Zayas became professional boxing’s youngest current world champion by winning the vacant World Boxing Organisation World Super Welterweight championship with a 12 round unanimous decision over Jorge Garcia Perez in the main event of an eight bout pro card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, July 26, 2025, in the ESPN final event ‘Top Rank Boxing on ESPN’ telecast.
Xayas, 22-0 with 13 knockouts, a Puerto Rican fighting out of Sunrise, Florida, claimed the WBO title vacated by Sebastian Fundora, who opted instead to defend his World Boxing Council World Super Welterweight title last week in a rematch with Tim Tszyu at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas by seventh round stoppage, vacating the WBO title in the process.
Now Zayas has called out the 6’6” southpaw Fundora, AKA ‘The Towering Inferno’, 23-2-2 with 15 knockouts, Coachella, California, for an immediate title unification bout. “Sebastian Fundora just fought last week. I heard he’s looking for an opponent [to defend his WBC title. Now I’ve got his WBO title]. I’m waiting, and I’m ready to go [fight a title unification bout with Fundora] in December.”
Zayas used clever footwork and accurate counterpunching while staying out of range, held when necessary, and controlled the tempo of the bout while making Perez miss, landing 38 percent of his punches overall, to 21 percent for Garcia, and the accuracy of Zayas proved the different in this key title bout. Zayas landed 123 power shots and 76 jabs, to 104 power shots and 26 jabs for Perez. A busy Perez threw 603 punches and landed 130, while Zayas threw 522 punches and landed a more accurate 199.
Zayas, at 5’10, might find Fundora, who is eight inches taller, a more difficult target. Yet, 5’10 Brian Mendoza, whose frame is similar to Zayas, the former WBC titleholder, knocked out the taller Fundora in the seventh round in April 2023 in Carson, California. So perhaps Zayas sees a defensive flaw in WBC champion Fundora he can exploit.
Perez came forward aggressively, but Zayas was better at getting in and out while making Perez miss wildly and often. Zayas used the overhand right effectively frequently to the chin of Perez, whose chin was solid but who had no answer. Perez did some effective work on the inside, however, Zayas landed enough combinations and counters to make Perez’ night miserable. Perez had a good eighth round, but overall, his awkward style and offensive output got outworked by the more accurate Zayas. A powerful three punch combination late in round 12 by Zayas which rocked Perez wont he round and punctuated the WBO story. This was just not Perez’s night. Perez, 33-5 with 26 knockouts, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, was riding an eight bout winning streak coming into this bout, including upset decisions over Charles Cromwell and Kudratillo Abdukakhorov in his last two bouts to qualify for this world title opportunity.
Result: Xander Zayas Won in 12 rounds over Jorge Garcia Perez, Super Welterweights
Zayas won the WBO World Super Welterweight title
Scoring: 119-109-118-110, 116-112 for Zayas. Referee: Eric Dali
Madison Square Garden Undercard Results
Julius Ballo (Pro Debut) Win 4 Btrandon Ayala, Featherweights
G2g Promotions San Diego featherweight Ballo won pro debut over 2-0 Ayala. Opening bout.
Juanma Lopez De Jesus Won TKO 2 over Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez, Super Flyweights (1:14)
Caguas, Puerto Rico southpaw goes to 3-0 with stoppage of Gonzalez-Sanchez.
Emiliano Vargas Won KO 1 over Alexander Espinosa, Super Lightweights (0:42)
15-0 Las Vegas prospect Vargas landed a pinpoint overhand right power shot and retained NABF Junior Super Lightweight title as referee Ricky Gonzalez waived off the bout with Espinosa slumped over on the canvas knocked out in lala land completely out of it.
Steven Navarro Won by 8 Round Decision over Cristopher Rios, Super Flyweights
In the battle of Los Angeles prospects, super flyweight Navarro outpoints 11-3 Rios.
Ruben Polanco Won by a 10-round decision over Quinton Randall, Welterweights
17-0 Dominican welterweight prospect Polanco outpoints Texas 15-3-1 Randall.
Yan Carlos Santana-Guerrero Won a 10-round decision over Aaron Alameda, Featherweights
15-0 Dominican featherweight Guerrero won all 10 rounds over 30-3 Mexican Alameda.
Bruce Carrington Won by 12 Round Decision over Mateus Heita, Featherweights
Brooklyn’s 16-0 Carrington won the interim World Boxing Council World Featherweight title by scores of 120-108, 119-109, and 119-109 over 14-0 Namibean Heita. Referee; Harvey Dock.
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