Xander Zayas and Jorge Garcia Perez previewed their championship bout and went face-to-face at the final press conference. The two fighters battle it out for the vacant WBO super welterweight title on July 26 at The Theater at MSG in New York.
Unbeaten Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) of Puerto Rico makes his first attempt to become champion. Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) of Mexico previously held the IBO belt in the division.
“I feel like every camp is completely different and every camp you prepare differently, but throughout my whole career, Top Rank and my team have prepared me for this moment,” Xander Zayas said on Thursday. “We always said that when we would fight for a world title, we would do it when we were ready to fight for it and win it. And this is the moment. Fight number 22 at MSG. It’s my moment to become a world champion.”
“Just like he and his family said that 2025 would be their year, I talked with my family and we said that 2025 would be my year. So at the end, we have to go in that ring and do our jobs, and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to come out victorious.”
“I had my team with me throughout my camp. My nutritionist team. My sparring partners. For the first time in my career, I did buy a camp house. So I’ve been enjoying the camp house for the last 10 weeks.”
“This Saturday, Puerto Rico will have a new world champion at 154 pounds.”
Jorge Garcia said, “I’m happy to have been given this opportunity to fight for a world title. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of ever since I started in this business. And now I’m only days away from making this a reality. I’m ready and I’m here.”
“We have adopted a success mindset. And I’ve been working hard with my team and my promoter. And it looks like we are seeing the results of our hard work because here we are at a big press conference talking about this world title opportunity. I think it’s a good sign.”
“My family and I all declared that 2025 would be our year, the year we’d fight for and win a world title. And now, it’s right around the corner. Of course, I still have to get through Xander, but we’re ready. We’ve trained hard for this moment.”
“I worked hard for this. I come from the bottom. And I’m happy to be chasing my dream and the most important fight of my life.”
Bruce Carrington vs Mateus Heita for interim title
The press conference also featured the fighters from the Zayas vs Garcia undercard. The participants previewed their respective matchups and faced off.
Unbeaten Bruce Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) of Brooklyn and Mateus Heita (14-0, 9 KOs) of Namibia clash for the interim WBC featherweight title.
“This is the thing that I’ve been begging for the last year and a half, which is to have the opportunity to fight on the championship level,” Bruce Carrington said. “Now we’re here. 12 rounds. And we’ve prepared over time. I’m ready to hop on a scale today and get in this ring and get into a fight right now. I’m just so locked in mentally, and I just can’t wait to perform in front of everybody.”
“I take every fight as a championship fight, but I’m definitely taking him very seriously. You know, he’s 14-0 with nine knockouts. I’m 15-0 with nine knockouts. He deserves to have this opportunity to get this fight. And, but I’m definitely going to show why I am special. And I’m definitely going to show why there are levels to this. And you’re going to see that it might not even go to full 12 rounds.”
“It’s going to be a demolition. It’s going to be a surgical beatdown.”
Mateus Heita said, “It’s actually a big dream, and it’s a big thing for me. Here in Africa, every fighter’s dream is to fight in the U.S. So fighting at Madison Square Garden is a dream come true for me.”
“I don’t see anything special in him. This is just another challenge that I have to overcome in my career.”
“The preparation has been good. I’m ready for him, I’m ready to fight, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.”
“I’m carrying my whole nation on my shoulders. This is a very big opportunity. I’ll make my country proud and bring the victory home.”
Emiliano Fernando Vargas meets Alexander Espinoza
Emiliano Fernando Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs) of Oxnard, CA and Alexander Espinoza (20-3-1, 9 KOs) of Ecuador meet at super lightweight.
“I just want to continue to grow,” Emiliano Fernando Vargas said. “At the end of the day, I know I’m young in my career, but at the same time, I know the big plans that we have. And I know God has greater plans. So, I’m just looking to keep my head down and keep on working.”
“My last fight ended quickly, as well as the fight before that. I’m looking to get right back to the gym after this fight, but we never look past anyone. I know he’s ready to go. I know he trained a long time for this, so I’m ready to go.”
“I’m ready to show out in front of all the other beautiful Latino fans in New York. Actually, there’s been a lot of love here. I’m very grateful for it, and I’m just, I’m ready to put on another performance because every fight has to be greater than the last fight.”
Alexander Espinoza said, “This is a huge opportunity for me. As a kid, I dreamed of fighting in the big leagues. Top Rank is the big leagues. So, I’m fulfilling the dream of that kid who once desired to fight at Madison Square Garden. I’m ready.”
“He is a tough opponent. You can’t underestimate anyone. But I have prepared for him. I have had good sparring. And I prepared mentally and physically for this.”
Rohan Polanco aims for title shot
Dominican Rohan Polanco (16-0, 10 KOs) and Quinton Randall (15-2-1, 3 KOs) of Houston, TX square off at welterweight.
“It was a great experience to fight on the Naoya Inoue card in May,” Rohan Polanco said. “There were a lot of great talents on that card. I also feel good about the work that I did in that fight with Fabian Maidana. I learned that you can’t knock all of your opponents. So, I got experience from that, and I’m ready for more challenging fights.”
“I’m ready for a world title shot now. But I don’t think it’ll happen until I am the mandatory challenger because there are champions that don’t want to fight me because they know that I’m very dangerous.”
‘One of the best prospects from Puerto Rico’
Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (2-0, 1 KO) takes on fellow Puerto Rican Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez (5-2, 4 KOs) at super flyweight.
“I think this is a great opportunity, another chance to show the people that I’m one of the prospects of Puerto Rico,” Juanmita Lopez De Jesus said. “It’s my third fight, and this is the greatest scenario. In [my last fight] in Puerto Rico, we were the main event. Now, we are on this type of card. It’s great.”
“In my last fight, I learned that I had to be more calm. I have to work with the pressure because the Puerto Rican people are intense. I learned a lot, and I’m going to show Saturday night that I learned from that fight and am one of the best prospects from Puerto Rico.”
‘We’re coming to show that we’re on top’
Dominican Yan Santana (14-0, 12 KOs) faces Mexico’s Aaron Alameda (30-2, 17 KOs) at featherweight.
“This is a dream come true to be fighting at MSG,” Yan Santana said. “It also feels good working with my [co-promoter] Miguel Cotto Promotions. It’s something incredible. It’s something we dreamed of. I’m here to demonstrate what I’m capable of. I’m here to demonstrate this Saturday. We’re going to come out on top. I represent the Dominicans. I represent the Latinos, Puerto Ricans… all Latinos. We’re coming to show that we’re on top.”
‘Looking forward to putting on a great performance’
Julius Ballo of San Diego, CA debuts as a pro in a featherweight bout against North Carolina’s Brandan Ayala (2-0, 1 KO).
“It was a tough training camp, so I’m looking forward to putting on a great performance Saturday night,” Julius Ballo said.
Also on the Zayas vs Garcia prelims, Steven Navarro (6-0, 5 KOs) of Inglewood, CA and Cristopher Rios (11-2, 7 KOs) of Lynwood, CA go head-to-head in an eight-rounder at junior bantamweight.
The previously announced heavyweight bout between Bakhodir Jalolov (15-0, 14 KOs) of Uzbekistan and Gianmarco Cardillo (12-1-2, 2 KOs) of Italy is no longer featured on the card. The contest was canceled after Cardillo withdrew due to a medical issue.