Interviews
One to watch: Xander Zayas
Over the last forty years, Puerto Rico has produced some of the most naturally talented fighters you will ever see in the ring.
Wilfredo Benitez, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Hector Camacho and Miguel Cotto all proudly represented their country, finishing their decorated careers as world champions in multiple weight classes, with three of the four named being inducted into the coveted International Boxing Hall of Fame.
The trio took over from those who preceded them, most notably Wilfredo Gomez, another Hall of Famer and former three-division world champion.
After their unprecedented success, those who emulate it face the challenge of matching their achievements, and a fresh crop of talent from Puerto Rico aims to do just that.
Last year, Edgar Berlanga became one of the brightest stars of the next generation. The 23-year-old Up-to-date Yorker of Puerto Rican descent went 16-0 (16 KOs) with all of his wins coming in the first round, earning him the prospect of the year from Sports Illustrated and many other outlets.
Welterweight prospect Xander Zayas is on the rise and looks to take the mantle from Berlanga as he earns the title of 2021 Prospect of the Year.
The 18-year-old became the youngest signing in Top Rank’s illustrious history when he signed a promotional deal with Bob Arum’s company in 2019 after being introduced to the Hall of Fame promoter by his manager Peter Kahn.
Zayas (6-0, 5 KO) began boxing at just five years aged, encouraged by his mother to take up the sport after experiencing bullying.
At the age of 11, Xander moved to the United States. During his amateur career, Xander competed in over 100 fights, winning 11 national titles, and almost immediately felt surrounded by greatness, with his first fight being supervised by a certain Puerto Rican legend.
“Tito Trinidad, I met him when I was six or seven, it was my first fight and he was there,” Zayas said proboxing-fans.com.
“It was a great pleasure, incredible. The person who inspires me in boxing, the person I looked up to [to] Miguel Cotto appeared in the ring.
“He’s someone who was a champion of my generation in Puerto Rico, everyone watched him go and he stopped the game in Puerto Rico. He’s a player I admire and he inspires me to work difficult and want to be like him.
Zayas, who will return Saturday night on the undercard of an all-Mexico fight between WBC super featherweight champion Miguel Berchelt and Oscar Valdez in Las Vegas, has already drawn comparisons to former six-weight world champion Oscar De La Hoya.
The undefeated contender admits he is aware of the connections and is flattered by them, but is keen to maintain his status as he looks to cement his position in the coming years with his versatile style.
“I’ve heard those comparisons,” Zayas added.
“Maybe it’s because I’m youthful and always smiling. It’s an honor to be compared to legends like Oscar De La Hoya, but ultimately the most vital thing is to stay focused, dedicated and continue to work difficult.
“I am an aggressive fighter who likes to come forward, with good footwork, good head movement and a good combination of difficult shots to the body and head.
“Someone who can make that kind of change in any round [to] be able to win the fight and just generally be someone who can throw punches, can slide and counter, and just generally be an aggressive fighter.”
Zayas, who has been sparring with the returning Adrien Broner in preparation for his seventh fight, will face James Martin (6-1) at the MGM Grand Conference Center as part of Top Rank’s Bubble, and the Florida native expects the Philadelphia fighter to pass the toughest test of his career.
If he can defeat the 23-year-old, Zayas hopes to fight five more times this year as he looks to accelerate his career.
“On paper, this is the toughest competition for me,” he added.
“On Saturday evening I expect a lot of fireworks from body to head, a lot of movement, good defense, edged play, agility and strength.
“I’ve been working really, really difficult all camp and I can’t wait to showcase my talent this Saturday night, so don’t miss it on ESPN+ in the States and BoxNation in London. Don’t miss it because I’m going to put on a show.
“Saturday night I’m going to show that we’re ready and this is my year. I’m ready to take over this year.
“The goal for this year is to fight at least six times this year. I want to end the year fighting eight rounds. I also want to escalate my competitiveness every time I step into the ring and finally, most importantly, win the prospect of 2021.
Zayas is close friends with lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez, whom he describes as his “substantial brother.”
Lopez dethroned Vasiliy Lomachenko in October, adding the WBA “Super,” WBO, and WBC Franchise belts to his IBF crown in just his 16th fight, and Zayas says that like the Brooklyn native, he’ll be ready to seize the opportunity on the biggest stage when the opportunity presents itself.
Asked if he draws inspiration from Lopez’s accelerated progress, Zayas replied: “100%. This generation is here to stay, he said.
“Again, I want to take it one step at a time. When the right opportunity comes, I know my team and I will make the decision and be ready to step into the ring with whoever they put in front of us.
“I want to fight my best, when the time comes I will give it my all and do whatever I have to to get the win.”
Zayas is in the early stages of what many expect to be a long and successful career. At just 18, he has plenty of time to develop his game, and Saturday night could bring him one step closer to carving out his own legacy as the next great Puerto Rican.
Watch the full interview with Xander Zayas below:
Eddie Hearn believes Tyson Fury will retire after a legacy-defining clash with Anthony Joshua.
Fury stunned the boxing world on Monday when he announced his retirement from the sport, leaving behind a megafight with Joshua.
The “Gypsy King” announced his shocking decision less than a month after suffering, among other things, second defeat in a row against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyad, but Joshua’s promoter, Hearn, is convinced that the fighter from Morecambe will return to the ring to fight the long-awaited showdown with “AJ”, who is returning after a fifth-round defeat to Daniel Dubois.
“In my opinion, I think he will come back,” the 45-year-old said talkSPORT.
“But I don’t know him well enough to judge that.
“He’s coming back after two defeats, and these defeats hurt the boys.
“AJ was devastated by the defeat to Dubois and I’m sure Fury was too [with his defeats to Usyk]both are winners.
“I don’t know if Fury can leave one of the biggest fights in the history of the sport on the table.
“I know he’s a competitor. I know he will want to give the British fight fans what they want and I hope we see more of him.
“But if we don’t, God bless the speed and all the best.”
Fury hung up his gloves after defeating Dillian Whyte in April 2022, only to return eight months later for a third fight with Derek Chisora, whom he defeated comfortably at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Hearn said Joshua will now look to secure a clash with the winner of the February 22 fight between his former rivals Dubois and Joseph Parker, who will fight in Riyad for the IBF heavyweight world title.
If Fury returns to fight AJ, the Matchroom boss insists the loser would have nowhere to go.
“They would both be devastated by defeat,” he added.
“It’s one thing to lose the world heavyweight title, but at the same time losing in a fight of this magnitude is the biggest bragging rights.
“At this stage of their career, the last word is goodbye.
“Whoever loses this fight is finished and whoever wins it moves on and that’s what you fight for.
“You’re not just fighting for a legacy, you’re fighting to save your career.
“It’s a huge fight, but it’s not on the table right now.”
Callum Simpson defended his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles after a second-round victory over Steer Woodall on Saturday at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield.
Simpson (16-0, 11 KO) proved too good for Zak Chelli in his last competition and went on to sweep wide and claim the British and Commonwealth titles last August. Woodall (19-3-1, 12 KO) picked up his best career win, stopping Lerrone Richards in six rounds in an upset in Bolton last June.
This attack ended quickly in the second round, with a right uppercut that left Woodall on wobbly legs, and then another attack punctuated by another right uppercut, leaving “The Stallion” on the deck.
Despite beating the count, referee Mark Bates waved off the fight shortly afterwards.
Simpson dedicated his victory his dead sisterwho died tragically in August in a road accident.
“It’s bittersweet,” the 28-year-old said Heavenly sports after the fight.
“I won these titles in front of all my fans, but there’s one person that I think everyone knows who I wish was here, but I know she’s looking down on me and I make her proud.”
Dubois is tied with Camara
On the card below, Caroline Dubois (10-0-1, 5 KO) made her first defense of her WBC lightweight title against Canadian Jessica Camara (14-4-1, 3 KO), but the fight ended in a technical draw.
The fight was stopped due to a cut to Camara’s left eye from the head collision, and she also went down in the first round.
Forrest stops Miller
Cruiserweight prospect Scott Forrest needed just two rounds to defeat Deevorn Miller.
Miller (8-3, 6 KO) lost once in the first and second rounds, while Forrest (7-0, 4 KO) won outright.
Undercard remaining
In the featherlight heavyweight division, where Billy Deniz defeated Mickey Ellison (15-8, 5 KO) by one point.
Deniz (13-0, 5 KO) won with a score of 77-76.
In the six-round middleweight division, Sam Hickey (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Lewis Howells (3-2) three times en route to a first-round victory, and Mauro Silva (7-0, 3 KO) scored a 59-56 victory against Emmanuel Zion (6-3, 3 KOs).
Ellis Price (2-0, 1 KO) stopped Liam Fitzmaurice (0-1) twice en route to a first-round lightweight victory.
Lauren Price believes Natasha Jonas was pressured into fighting her ahead of their March 7 unification clash.
Price will put his WBA and IBO welterweight titles on the line when he faces IBF and WBC champion Jonas live at the Royal Albert Hall. Heavenly sports.
Jonas’ coach, Joe Gallagher, has said he would prefer to see the 40-year-old retire, and Price, who won Olympic gold in 2021, is doubtful whether her rival wants to face her.
“I don’t think either of them wanted this fight,” the 30-year-old said proboxing-fans.com.
“But like I said, she has two belts, I have three and it’s just a great fight.
“The fight is signed, sealed and announced, so on March 7 we will see who will be the best.
“If you look at my amateur record, Olympic gold medalist, I haven’t lost a single round as a professional.
“The performance I am up against [Jessica] McCaskill in Cardiff against the legitimate world champion, the proof is in the pudding.
“I’ve got it. I’m in my youth.
“She’s coming to the end of my career and I don’t blame her, but in the end she has something that I want and that’s really it, there’s nothing personal.”
Jonas secured the WBC crown with a unanimous decision victory over then-champion Ivana Habazin in December in Liverpool, moments after Price defeated Bexcy Mateus in three rounds on the same bill.
The pair then clashed during a heated post-fight interview to confirm their upcoming match.
The Welshwoman believes that her youth, speed and dominance in the ring will allow her to defeat the experienced Liverpool resident on Friday in eight weeks.
Asked what her advantage was over Jonah, Price added: “Probably my youth.
“Reading the fight, my ring IQ, my speed.
“The little feints, the triggers I do, people reading me.
“Everyone says they will do it, they will do it until I stand in front of them, so we will see on March 7.
“But overall I think I’m just better and I believe I’ll win.”
Watch the full interview with Lauren Price:
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