Xander Zayas

[TitoFan]

There always seems to be this search for the bext great boricua

I can remember a couple of years bk. Everyone was saying another P.Rican fighter (Felix Verdejo) was gonna be the next big thing

That didn't work out too well. So now it's this Xander Zayas turn

He's only 19. If it was up to me he'd be going to Paris 2024 then turn pro.

But right of now ? He needs to rack up more wins. 154 is one of the most stacked divisions at the time. At his age don't be putting him in there with Gausha, Lubin, Jesus Ramos, Fundora or Liam Smith. To me he looks good but I get the same "WOW" feeling I get when seem him fighting as I do when I look at a Boots Ennis or Vergil Ortiz fighting. But he's got time on his hands

Yeah, he does need more wins. He also needs to begin fighting 10-rounders. They need to continue ramping up the competition as part of his development.

I also quoted a post of mine from last year.

I saw Xander fight in person in his 4th professional fight, and he looked really good. I've also seen him interviewed and he's a great kid, with a good head on his shoulders. Hoping he'll go far. Boxing in P.R. is pretty much at a low point in recent years... and the only prospective champions I put any stock in recently are Xander and Subriel Matias. Hopefully both will become world champions at some point.

Subriel Matias has since become champion at 140. Not the best defense, but a solid champion nonetheless. He's been given a barnburner of a mandatory (no rest for the weary), but so be it. I thought maybe they'd put Prograis in there with him, but after Regis' last performance against Zorrilla, they probably thought better of putting Prograis in there with Matias.

Hopefully the next champ will be Zayas.