Unbeaten Puerto Rican phenom Xander Zayas will take on upset-minded Mexican contender Jorge Garcia for the vacant WBO junior middleweight world championship.
Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) is an undefeated rising star who turned professional at age 17 and quickly climbed the ranks. He captured the NABO title in 2022 and has since successfully defended it seven times, including recent victories over Damian Sosa and former world champion Patrick Teixeira. Zayas began his 2025 campaign with a dominant ninth-round TKO over Germany’s Slawa Spomer.
Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) enters Saturday’s title tilt on an eight-fight winning streak that commenced with a seventh-round knockout of previously undefeated Hector Andres Reyes in June 2023. Garcia has collected victories abroad, including knockouts in the Dominican Republic and South Africa. In April, he handed previously unbeaten U.S. Olympian Charles Conwell his first loss via split decision, earning a No.?2 WBO ranking.
In the co-feature, Brooklyn native Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and unbeaten Namibian Mateus Heita will collide for the WBC interim featherweight world title.
Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) has emerged as a dominant force in the featherweight division, earning the No. 1 ranking from both the WBC and WBO. In 2024, he delivered a standout year with four consecutive wins, including a highlight-reel knockout of Bernard Torres, a commanding decision over Dana Coolwell, and a statement-making knockout of Brayan De Gracia. Carrington last fought in March, thrilling fans with a third-round stoppage over Jose Enrique Vivas.
Heita (14-0, 9 KOs), a rising featherweight from Namibia, has built an impressive undefeated record since turning pro in 2018. He claimed the WBO Africa featherweight title with a fifth-round TKO of Tatenda Biningu and defended that strap in April with a 12-round unanimous decision over South Africa’s Abdulaziz Kunert.
In the eight-round televised opener, Mexican American prospect Emiliano Fernando Vargas returns against Ecuador’s Alexander Espinoza in a junior welterweight showdown.
The action-packed undercard begins at 5:10 p.m. ET/ 2:10 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna will call the action.
ESPN.com
Out Thursday, July 24: By the numbers: Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia and Bruce Carrington vs. Mateus Heita
Using CompuBox and ESPN research data, we preview both title fights. Plus, Ian Parker adds best bets for the card.
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Zayas vs. Garcia (All Times ET)
| Date | Time | Event | Fights | Title (s) | Platform |
| Thu., July 24 | 2 p.m. | Main Card Press Conference | — | — | ESPN+ |
| Fri., July 25 | 1 p.m. | Weigh-in | — | — | |
| Sat., July 26 | 9 p.m. | Main | Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia | (Vacant) WBO Jr. Middleweight | ESPN, ESPN Deportes,ESPN+(simulcast) |
| Co-Feature | Bruce Carrington vs. Mateus Heita | (Interim) WBC Featherweight | |||
| Undercard | Emiliano Fernando Vargas vs. Alexander Espinoza | ||||
| 5:10 p.m. | Feature | Rohan Polanco vs. Quinton Randall | ESPN+ | ||
| Undercard | Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez | ||||
| Undercard | Yan Santana vs. Aaron Alameda | ||||
| Undercard | Steven Navarro vs. Cristopher Rios | ||||
| Undercard | Bakhodir Jalolov vs. Gianmarco Cardillo | ||||
| Undercard | Julius Ballo vs. Brandan Ayala |
