Madison Square Garden—-Xander Zayas showcased his contender status on Saturday night in New York City, delivering a dominant performance against Patrick Teixeira at Hulu Theater, Madison Square Garden.
Remaining undefeated as a junior middleweight prospect, Zayas, hailing from San Juan, also solidified his boxing future on a weekend synonymous with the Puerto Rico Day Parade, a tradition where island fighters shine at the Garden, following in the footsteps of legends like Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad.
Having signed with Top Rank at 16 and making his pro debut shortly after turning 17, Zayas controlled the bout from the outset with relentless body attacks, tallying significant body punches while limiting Teixeira’s offense. Despite Teixeira’s resilience, enduring until the final bell, Zayas’ onslaught of hooks and uppercuts in later rounds left the Brazilian bloodied and in survival mode.
With a final punch count of 204-63 in his favor, Zayas’ dominance was evident, earning unanimous decision victory with two judges scoring every round in his favor. Expressing gratitude to his Puerto Rican roots, Zayas reflected on his lifelong dream, thanking the island’s people for their support.
Zayas walked away with two shutouts and a 99-91 on the judges’ cards. It was strong performance for the 21 year old. He just seemed to be missing that extra gear, that ferocity or genuine punching power that he’d need to standout in an increasingly competitive division.
“ A couple weeks ago, we learned that Patrick’s mother passed away. And like a warrior, he was here. He came here and put on a show, so I want to give a round of applause to Patrick Teixeira.”
“Thank you to all my people in Puerto Rico. Since I was 5 years old, I dreamed about this. It’s happening, thanks to you guys, and I want to thank you for everything you do for me.”
“He was tough. He knew how to survive in there. It was sometimes difficult to find the body, but with the experience, he hid it. I tried to land the hook and he was ducking underneath. I feel like it was a tough test, but I passed it with flying colors.” Zayas said.
Continuing the celebration, Zayas will participate in Sunday’s Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan, further cementing his connection to his heritage and boxing legacy.
