Xander Zayas Crowned Youngest Active World Champion in Electric Victory Over Jorge Garcia Perez
Xander Zayas has officially taken his place among boxing’s rising elite. The 22-year-old Puerto Rican prodigy delivered a commanding performance on Saturday night, earning a dominant unanimous decision victory over Jorge Garcia Perez to claim the vacant WBO junior middleweight title—and in doing so, became the youngest active world champion in the sport today.
For years, Zayas has been touted as the future face of Puerto Rican boxing. And at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, under the bright lights and in front of a roaring crowd, he proved every bit of the hype was real. The moment was a perfect blend of personal triumph and national pride, adding a fiery new chapter to the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico boxing rivalry.
But this wasn't an easy night at the office.
Garcia, the awkward and aggressive Mexican challenger, didn’t come to lie down. He came out wild, lunging and throwing off rhythm with unpredictable attacks. Early on, he managed to disrupt Zayas's timing. But as the rounds went on, the more polished fighter took control. Zayas’s sharp footwork, clean counters, and blistering combinations began to overwhelm Garcia. Body shots, headshots—he landed them all with surgical precision.
The most explosive exchanges happened in round six, when both fighters went toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring. The action was intense, but Zayas’s cleaner punches and faster hands gave him the edge. Garcia stayed game, buzzing Zayas with a left hook in round three and mounting a rally late in round ten—but each time, the young champ answered with ice-cold composure.
When the final bell rang, there was no doubt. The judges scored it 119-109, 118-110, and 116-112, all in favor of Zayas. (Unofficially, The Guardian had it 117-111.) The numbers told the truth—Zayas had outboxed, outclassed, and outworked his opponent.
“That’s what this sport is about—growth,” Zayas said after the fight, glowing with pride. “You’ve all seen me evolve since I was 16. Tonight was another step forward. He came to fight, and we handled our business. We kept him at a distance, frustrated him, and got the win.”
Garcia (33-5, 26 KOs) had earned this title shot with an upset win over Charles Conwell earlier this year, and while he showed durability and heart, he simply couldn’t match Zayas’s blend of speed, skill, and precision. The stats said it all—according to CompuBox, Garcia landed just 21.6% of his punches (130 of 603), while Zayas connected on 38.1% (199 of 522).
For Zayas (22-0, 14 KOs), this night was more than just a win—it was the payoff of a dream that started when he was just a kid. At age five, his mother brought him to a boxing gym in San Juan to help him stand up to bullies. By ten, he was already talking about becoming a pro. When the family moved to Sunrise, Florida, he began training under Javiel Centeno, a disciple of the legendary Angelo Dundee—and the rest is history in the making.
“My mom is the real champion,” Zayas said emotionally. “She made this possible. She never gave up on me. We left Puerto Rico to chase this dream, and tonight we made it real. At 22 years old, I’m a world champion because of her.”
Growing up, Zayas studied the greats—Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Héctor “Macho” Camacho, and Wilfredo Benítez. But it was Miguel Cotto who became his true idol. Watching Cotto’s battles with Mexican warriors became family traditions—and now, in the same city where Cotto had his biggest nights, Zayas has begun writing his own legend.
And this is likely just the beginning.
With youth, talent, and an explosive fanbase behind him, Zayas has the tools to become a dominant force in the 154-pound division. With several big names and potential unification fights ahead, his rise is only just heating up.
“Anyone in the division can get it now,” Zayas said. “I’ve got the belt, and I’m ready. No more hiding.”
Still, the road ahead will pose bigger tests. Some are already wondering: Does Zayas have the power to compete with the best of the division? Can he climb into the pound-for-pound conversation, or will he simply be another belt-holder with good matchmaking? Those questions remain for the future.
But on this night, those doubts didn’t matter.
This was a night about arrival. A night when a young man from San Juan fulfilled the dream he chased since childhood, and proved he belongs in the conversation with boxing’s elite.
As he cradled his new golden WBO belt in the early hours of Sunday morning, Zayas smiled wide.
“This is my new baby,” he said. “I’m sleeping with it tonight—maybe the whole week. I’ve put almost 20 years into this sport, six as a pro. I told everyone this was my time. And tonight, we made it happen.”