Xander Zayas will return to the ring in less than two months. The super middleweight prospect will reportedly fight Ronald Cruz at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 10, 2023. The 10-round bout will serve as the chief support for a 140-pound title bout featuring Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez.
“I cannot wait to fight at Madison Square Garden in front of my people on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. This is a dream come true,” Zayas said, according to Boxing Scene.
“Ronald Cruz is a tough, durable fighter, and I expect the best version of him on June 10.”
Zayas holds a perfect professional record of 15-0 with 10 knockouts. The Puerto Rican fighter last entered the ring on December 10, 2022 at Madison Square Garden. He defeated Alexis Salazar by unanimous decision as part of an event headlined by Teofimo Lopez and Sandor Martin. The 20-year-old fighter planned to fight once again in April, but was sidelined due to an injury in training.
Cruz is a “tough, durable” opponent who won the first 16 fights of his professional career. He fought Kevin Ottley to a draw in December 2021, taking his record to 16-0-1. Since then, he has fought to a .500 record of 2-2 in his last four fights.
Zayas and Cruz’s showdown will be televised on ESPN and ESPN+ on June 10, 2023 beginning at 10 p.m. EST.
