Xander Zayas Gears Up for Showdown with Former World Champion Patrick Teixeira at Madison Square Garden
The 21-year-old Puerto Rican boxing sensation Xander Zayas is set to embark on a new chapter in his burgeoning career, as he prepares to face Brazilian former world champion Patrick Teixeira in the highly anticipated 10-round main event on June 8 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Zayas (18-0, 12 KOs) aims to kick off the Puerto Rican Day Parade Weekend with a strong performance, taking on his stiffest test to date. In the co-feature, the latest prodigy from Brownsville, Brooklyn, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (11-0, 7 KOs), will look to extend his knockout streak against Mexico’s Jose Enrique Vivas (23-3, 12 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout.
“Patrick Teixeira is a former world champion. He has a lot of experience. He has fought great fighters, and he’s very hungry to return to the top of the sport,” Zayas said. “So I have to go in there very prepared because I know he will also be prepared.”
The young Puerto Rican boxer acknowledges the significance of the occasion, with the event coinciding with the Puerto Rican Day Parade, but he is determined to remain focused on the task at hand.
“In this fight, I have to be intelligent. I have to follow the game plan. I have to block out all the emotions that will be a part of that night,” Zayas stated.
Teixeira (34-4, 25 KOs) returns to the United States following three consecutive knockout wins in his home country, and he will be eager to spoil Zayas’ homecoming. The former world champion is eager to reclaim his place at the top of the sport.
The Zayas-Teixeira and Carrington-Vivas fights will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT, while Sky Sports will provide coverage for viewers in the U.K. and Ireland.
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