Xander Zayas is rising. His face looms on display nowadays with a stern, squinty eyed stoicism. The junior middleweight is 21 and speaks extra boldly than he beforehand has. He talks about sending his opponents to hell.
He had a float to get on Sunday morning for New York’s Puerto Rican Day Parade. He first needed to elevate his stature by getting via former WBO junior middleweight titlist, 33-year-old Patrick Teixeira.
For the primary time in his younger profession, Zayas went 10 rounds, profitable a dominating unanimous choice by scores of 100-90 on two scorecards and 99-91 on the opposite.
Zayas (19-0, 12 knockouts) had extra issues getting untangled from a drooping postfight TV twine within the ring than he did beating the brave, although terribly outgunned Teixeira (34-5, 25 KOs) on Saturday evening at The Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard in High Rank’s present on ESPN.
“Since I used to be 5 years I’ve been dreaming about this, and it’s occurring,” Zayas stated. “(Teixeira) was robust, clearly figuring out that he was a veteran, he knew the way to survive in there. It was typically tough to seek out the physique, however with the expertise, he hid it. I used to be attempting to land the hook, and he was ducking beneath.
“I felt it was a tricky check, however I handed it with flying colours. Like everybody at High Rank tells me, earlier than you go 12, it’s a must to go 10. I did it at the moment. I graduated. These had been the rounds I wanted. I’m prepared for no matter they throw at me now. I’ve to work on that angle to the lefty, attending to the surface, working the physique. I felt my distance was key at the moment.”
Zayas seemed relaxed within the opening spherical towards the primary southpaw he has ever confronted. He patiently poked and prodded, and within the second, he opened up extra. He diversified his ranges and countered very properly. With 7 seconds left within the spherical, Zayas popped Teixeira with a left hook to the pinnacle, which Teixeira responded with a physique shot.
By two rounds, Zayas linked on 14 physique photographs on the 33-year-old who has confronted his share of wars.
Teixeira did faucet Zayas with a one-two to the pinnacle halfway via the third. Zayas stored chopping on the physique. With 55 seconds left within the spherical, he landed a proper uppercut, adopted by a left. Thirty seconds later, Zayas dug down with a proper on Teixeira’s waistline.
By three, Zayas owned a 61-13 join benefit.
With 2:14 left within the fourth, Zayas’ blue gumshield bore via as he smiled, wading in on the retreating Teixeira. On the finish of the spherical, the 2 tapped gloves in a present of respect. However it was obvious that Zayas was in agency management and affected person.
Zayas began the fifth by working up and down via Teixeira’s excessive guard. He made Teixeira look older than he’s. With 1:20 left within the fifth, Teixeira did hit Zayas with a proper to Zayas’ aspect. For a second, it seemed as if Zayas’ left arm dropped down. Teixeira was doing little or no, aside from staying upright and throwing an occasional punch.
In any other case, the veteran was in survival mode.
With 2:00 left within the sixth, Zayas cleaved Teixeira’s guard with a proper. He missed with a proper uppercut, however Teixeira had little vitality to counter it.
Within the eighth, Zayas stepped on the gasoline. With 1:56 left within the spherical, he plowed Teixeira with a left-right combo to the face and was on him. Zayas linked with one other left, and stalked Teixeira, hitting with a proper uppercut, with 1:41 left, after which went to the physique. A straight proper snapped Teixeira’s head again. Teixeira tried to maintain Zayas off him, although couldn’t.
With 22 seconds left, Zayas landed a mix, and closed the spherical with a left hook.
The ringside medical doctors took a have a look at Teixeira after the eighth. However they allowed Teixeira out for one more spherical.
Within the opening minute of the ninth, Zayas smothered Teixeira with a barrage of punches. Teixeira didn’t do something. Blood started leaking down the left eye of Teixeira. With 54 seconds left within the spherical, Zayas plowed him with a straight proper.
Within the first 15 seconds of the tenth, Zayas was utilizing Teixeira as a punching bag, pinning up towards the ropes. He was loading up on his photographs. With 1:25 remaining within the struggle, Zayas nailed Teixeira with a straight proper. He was shaking his head as Zayas was hitting him.
“I’ve been saying it, Josh Kelly. (High Rank) additionally simply signed Vito Mielnicki, a very good good friend of mine, however he’s 154 kilos and he’s kind Jersey,” Zayas stated. “It’s a struggle we are able to make occur sooner or later.”
Shu Shu Carrington makes straightforward work out of late sub Brayan De Gracia
Within the co-feature, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington stopped the very sport late-replacement Brayan “La Roca” De Gracia (29-4-1, 25 KOs) within the eighth spherical.
“There are some issues I might have executed extra, there are some issues I might have executed higher on the defensive finish, however he’s a tricky opponent,” Carrington stated. “I’m tremendous blissful that Brayan had are available in and took the struggle on last-minute discover. He got here to struggle. He’s actually robust. His knockout ratio confirmed the facility is there. However you recognize me, I’ve loads of expertise to know the way get round that, damage my opponent and do what I do.
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington smashes late-replacement Brayan “La Roca” De Gracia with a proper (Picture by Mikey WIlliams/High Rank)
“That’s how we bought the victory. He had loads of will.”
Carrington (12-0, 8 KOs) patiently whittled down De Gracia, dropping him a sequence of blows with 49 seconds left within the fifth, which De Gracia bought again up from. To his credit score, De Gracia stored attempting, figuring out he couldn’t stand up to the facility and talent of Carrington.
Within the seventh, feeling so assured, Carrington switched to a southpaw stance and put De Gracia down a second time with a proper with 12 seconds left within the spherical. De Gracia survived the spherical, although it appeared the top was nearing.
With referee Eric Dali trying in intently, the struggle was lastly stopped at 2:56 of the eighth.
With undisputed featherweight world champion Naoya Inoue seated ringside, in New York to obtain the Ring Journal and BWAA Fighter of the Yr awards, Carrington needed to placed on a present.
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington is in search of Naoyo Inoue (Picture by Mikey Williams/High Rank)
“It’s attention-grabbing (Inoue) is right here and he got here to observe, and he’s leaving proper now, so he clearly got here to observe me,” Carrington stated. “I’m ringing bells and making noise. That’s what we plan on proceed doing all through our profession. I wish to positively make that struggle occur time quickly.”
On the undercard, junior welterweight Tiger Johnson (13-0, 6 KOs) gained an eight-round choice over Tarik Zaina (13-2-1, 8 KOs), flyweight Andy Dominguez (11-1, 6 KOs) gained an eight-round majority choice over Cristopher Rios (10-2, 7 KOs), and middleweight Jahi Tucker (11-1-1, 5 KOs) gained an eight-round unanimous choice over Quincy LaVallais (17-5-1, 12 KOs) in Tucker’s middleweight debut.
In different undercard choices, junior light-weight Ofacio Falcon (12-0, 6 KOs), gained a six-round unanimous choice over Antonio Dunton El Jr. (5-3-2, 2 KOs), heavyweight Ali Feliz (2-0, 2 KOs) stopped Lemir Isom-Riley (4-3, 2 KOs) at 1:25 of the primary spherical and tremendous middleweight Nisa Rodriguez (2-0) gained a four-round choice over Jordanne Garcia (4-4-3).
Joseph Santoliquito is a Corridor of Fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Journal/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Observe @JSantoliquito
