A new champion will be crowned at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on the evening of Saturday, July 26, 2025. Will it be unbeaten contender Xander Zayas? Will it be upset-minded puncher Jorge Garcia?
Top Rank will bring championship boxing to ESPN once more as Zayas and Garcia square off for the WBO Super Welterweight Championship on July 26, 2025, at 9 p.m. EST in New York, New York. The title was vacated by Sebastian Fundora, who will defend the WBC Super Welterweight against Tim Tszyu seven days earlier in Las Vegas, Nevada on Prime Video PPV.
Zayas will likely enter the bout as a sizeable favorite. The 22-year-old Puerto Rican boasts an unblemished record of 21-0 with 13 knockouts, including wins against Patrick Teixeira and the previously unbeaten Slawa Spomer. Along the way, he’s picked up the NABO and NABF super welterweight titles. Now, he’ll face the toughest test of his career — an 11-year veteran puncher from Mexico named Jorge Garcia Perez.
“When we signed Xander at the age of 16, he was a teenager with all the potential in the world. He’s now an accomplished young contender with a tremendous opportunity to win his first world title,” Top Rank President Bob Arum said. “Jorge Garcia has been impressive lately, and I expect an action-packed, dramatic main event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.”
The co-main event will feature Brooklyn’s own Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington. Like Zayas, Carrington will put his unblemished record on the line for his first world title as he fights fellow unbeaten fighter Mateus Heita for the interim WBC Super Featherweight Championship. Both fighters picked up at least three wins in 2024 and an additional win in April.
“It’s always a thrill to fight in my city, and I can’t wait to bring the ‘Shu Shu Show’ back to The Theater at Madison Square Garden,” Carrington said. “The featherweight division is full of champions who have refused my challenge, so I credit Heida for accepting. That said, I will take out my frustration on him on July 26 and continue putting the division on notice.”
The main card will also feature Emiliano Fernando Vargas and Alexander Espinoza in an eight-round super lightweight clash. All three fights will be broadcast live on ESPN on Saturday, July 26, at 9 p.m. EST.
