Unbeaten junior middleweight Xander Zayas (17-0, 11 KOs) successfully defended his NABO and NABF belts against Roberto Valenzuela Jr. (21-5, 20 KOs) on Friday night in the Venado-Joet co-feature at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Zayas dropped Valenzuela twice in round one. By round four, Valenzuela’s face was a bloody mask and the bout was halted by the ring doctor at :42 in round five.
Lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas (7-0, 6 KOs), son of former world champion Fernando “Feroz” Vargas, punished previously unbeaten Alejandro Guardado (5-1, 1 KO) until the bout was stopped in round three.
Welterweight Julio Luna (20-1-2, 11 KOs) scored an eight round unanimous decision over KO artist Omar Aguilar (25-2, 24 KOs). Scores were 79-73, 78-74, 77-75.
Local welterweight John Rincon (8-0, 2 KOs) outpointed Bryan Ismael Rodriguez Rivera (4-2-1, 2 KOs) over six uneventful rounds. Scores were 60-54, 60-54, 58-56.
Junior welterweight Jamaine Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs) outscored Antonio Moran (29-6-1, 20 KOs) over eight in a good fight. In his first action since last year’s loss against Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ortiz prevailed 99-91, 98-92, 97-93
Former world title challenger Ruben Villa IV (21-1, 7 KOs) hammered out an eight round unanimous decision over Brandon Valdes (15-4, 7 KOs) in a featherweight clash. Scores were 78-74 3x.
U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (10-0, 5 KOs) edged Ricardo Quiroz (13-3, 7 KOs) by eight round majority decision. Scores were 76-76, 78-73, 79-73.
Zayas wearing bud light? Figures. Another sucker in the ring. Just like Teo too.
Sounds like easy pickings huh? Just train for three months, sign the contract and show us how it’s done.
Zayas is an excellent prospect. Just turned 21 and he’s fighting solid competition; guys who don’t look to take a seat at the first sign of trouble and he’s been caught a few times. I think in about 3 or 4 years he’s potentially a world class fighter.
Negative Lucie, I said it before he is not a world beater. He may win a title, but he is nothing special. Tonite, bud light boy beat a one dimensional fighter.
I think he’s doing very well for someone his age and I think he’s the goods. If you disagree though, that’s perfectly fine. I’ve been wrong before on prospects, maybe I’m wrong again and that’s just fine.
I agree with you. Zayas has the goods.
According to zayas, he is a contender now. 3 or 4 years he better have a title or two by then. Again, don’t think so. Let me ask this, whose next for him? I think he fights two more 10 rounders providing that he wins, he fights for a title.
I really think his promoter top rank gets him there. They match him almost too perfect.
So if he doesn’t have “a title or two” in 3 or 4 years, then what? If he isn’t a world champion at 24 or 25, then what? For me there’s nothing there. I guess that means he was wrong. He wasn’t a contender, he was still a prospect. Oh well.
He fights in a division which is loaded at the top with guys who fight for a promoter that his promoter doesn’t work with that often so when you say who’s next for him, MOST LIKELY he’s limited to a select group of guys. Ideally, I would say someone like Terrell Gausha, but I think more realistically…. maybe Inoue, maybe Soro. I think Bohachuk would be an interesting opponent as well.
Just going off with what you said, ” world class fighter.” So, yes, if in three or four years he is still fighting guys like Valenzuela then he would not be a contender, he would be a gate keeper at the ripe age of 24 or 25. ” Oh well.” I think gausha beats him, but definitely a good test. He is at at level now that if he keeps fighting this caliber of fighter it does him no good. If he has got the goods like people say? My opinion this is the drawback of starting to fight professionally so young. He’s too good for the average fighter, but no one knows if he will have all the marbles if he steps up, so they keep dragging it out. Time will tell.
No. I didn’t say still be fighting guys like Valenzuela in 3-4 years. As a matter of fact, you asked me who I thought he should fight NEXT and I gave you an ideal opponent in Gausha and you acknowledged he was better than Valenzuela because you said you thought he’d beat Zayas. If it is a few years on and he’s still fighting Valenzuela-like opponents, he’s probably picked up a loss and he’s trying to rebuild.
The guy literally just turned 21, like two weeks ago and you’re saying that they’re dragging out stepping him up. No way. This isn’t what TR did with Berlanga, I think they’re actually trying to develop Zayas as a fighter and, in my humble opinion, I think they’re doing a good job with the opponents that they’ve been giving him.
Never said they are dragging him. I said that is the drawback of starting so young. That he is better than the average fighter which he is, no doubt. I acknowledge that he can fight, but when you are so young as in his case, you beat up most the competition. Then, at 21 you are stuck at keep fighting the same type of opponent because you are so young or step up and maybe suffer a loss. In my opinion again, when you start this young, when do you take off the training wheels? It’s clear, he beats the Valenzuelas. Does he step up risk the loss? Or does TR drag him a few more fights? That’s the drawback. I think he is ready for the step up, but like I said I don’t think he is the type of fighter that becomes an unified champ or dominant in his division. Like you said, I could be wrong. What’s clear is that at 21 you have a lot of time to go back to the drawing board. Time is what he does have, but does TR keep putting him out to fight decent fighters that he wins convincingly or go up a level. His next opponent will reveal what TR has in mind. Honestly, I think it’s a tough call for TR.
“My opinion this is the drawback of starting to fight professionally so young. He’s too good for the average fighter, but no one knows if he will have all the marbles if he steps up, so they keep dragging it out.”
Regardless of WHY you said they’re “dragging” out stepping him up, you did say it and everything you’ve said besides that makes it clear that is how you feel (and that’s fine). That step up simply means fighting guys better than he has been. It doesn’t mean he’s fighting top guys. You can be not a top guy and better than Valenzuela and have him in more competitive fights that he’s likely to win. You could put him in with a higher level journeyman like Vladimir Hernandez. He could fight a former champion like Jack Culcay. Do you think he beats those guys? I do and I think they’re both really competitive fights for him. Stepping up a level from the guys he has been fighting and dominating doesn’t mean you’re immediately risking him losing; but, as you said, he has a lot of time at 21, so if they do step him up and don’t like what they see, they can always bring him back and get him to the point where he ends up being as good as he possibly can – whatever that turns out to be.
It’s obvious you don’t like anyone challenging you on here. Read my statements again. I never said that you said he would be fighting Valenzuelas in three or four years, I said and I quote that IF he was still fighting Valenzuela type fighters in that time then he would not be a contender, but a gate keeper. Where does that say anything about YOU? No where. I know what stepping up means, you do not have to define it for me. Dragging it out? Well, again, his next opponent will tell a lot about what TR is going to do with him. What’s crazy, is that you must internalize what I said and made it about you? Wow.
You misinterpreted that. I wasn’t saying you said I said that. That — fighting guys like Valenzuela years from now — was yours. You came up with that and I said, “No. I didn’t say still be fighting guys like Valenzuela in 3-4 years.” Meaning if he’s still doing that, then he’s not at a world class level. I wasn’t saying you said I said that. And it’s fine that you understand what stepping up means. So you feel that if he fights someone incrementally better than someone he dominated that he’s risking a loss. That’s fine Killa. It’s your opinion, you’re entitled to it.
But, after reading what you have said here and that other mess you’ve got going on down there, somethings about you are “obvious” to me as well. So, I think this conversation has ran its course.
Yeah, it’s obvious I’m not easily duped and unafraid to state my views whether it’s boxing or politics. I don’t subscribe to the status quo nor do I condone or simply ignore “obvious” wrongdoing in this nation or world. As you stated, entitled to my opinion, but what I find ” obvious” that if your opinion differs in certain subjects then you cannot have an opinion. You get shut down. So, this conversation may have ran it’s course, but there will be others. Until next time…..✌️
villa look yoy know nothing about boxing you are so envy
Learn how to spell then talk nonsense.
Whatever Top Rank decides to do, it will be in his best interest. They aren’t going to rush him. He definitely has the talent. Don’t hate on a young man for wearing a hat. He’s out there trying to find his way in a tough business. Are we all aware of the political views of every company we support (clothes, cars, etc)?
WBO rankings (Aug).
Josh Kelly
Bakhram Murtazaliev
Charles Conwell
Xander Zayas
Jesus Ramos
David Papot
Takeshii Inoue
Slawa Spomer
Erickson Lubin
Serhii Bohachuk
Terrell Gausha
Ardreal Holmes
Israil Madrimov
Brandon Cook
Joseph Jackson
I am amazed by the ignorant comments about Bud Light. The kid is 21. He is feeding his family. He is not a millionaire. If they pay good money, I make him wear a rainbow. Who cares about political BS? None of you will last 2 minutes in front of the kid anyways.
Speak for yourself. The only ignorance is defending a company that promotes garbage like bud light. There are other ways a 21 one year old could make money, believe me. So, what you are saying is it’s ok to sell your soul for the Almighty dollar? I do care about political BS because our country is being eroded by people like you that , “don’t care.” Furthermore, when I fought or sparred, I had no problem fighting anyone or anytime and nearly any weight. I fought at147 and 154. It obvious you don’t have kids and if you do then God help us because people like you are the problem. Sell outs with no morals
Wow, what a snowflake. Why are tough guys so sensitive to anything linked to LGBTQ? Why are they so threatened?
Threatened? Sensitive? To voice your opinion for something? That’s threatened? So, it’s ok for me to accept it, but it’s not ok for me to go against it? Really? You must be from the go along to get along crowd. And you call me a snowflake? A group that is trying to teach kids in third or fourth grade about things they shouldn’t even be thinking of as ” education.” That’s not threatened or sensitive, that’s just doing what’s right.
Fighting for equal rights is hardly the go along crowd. I’d argue trying to keep things the way they are, when they are obviously broken is more of a go along to get along mentality.
No one is trying to teach little kids about inappropriate sexual topics, rather that the world is a diverse place and everyone deserves respect. Little kids see diversity everyday in real life and have questions. They are easy to answer with out getting into the birds and the bees or the bees and the bees.
Keep talking out of yours assets. You must be very sheltered to not see that this group has an agenda, and it’s not about equal rights. Besides what equal rights? They are human right? They have the right to live free in this country and be who they are, right? What more rights do they need? Or do they or you mean they need more rights because of who they are? You must work for the United teachers association. Yes, kids have questions like is the earth round, what is 2 plus 2, and the history of our country not whether you have two moms or dads, how to’s of sex, and why is the principal getting spanked by that he/she. And if you say none of that is going on then you are truly ignorant or mindless.
Contraire Mon friar. That is exactly what the beef is about. Besides that, everyone already enjoys equal rights under the law. The target audience are between the ages of 4 and 13. Why? Who knows, but let’s get back to talking smack about each other in regards to boxing.
Boycotting a company because of perceived political views most hurts the employees of that company who have nothing to do with such thinking.
Another I’m going along to get along crew. There is nothing perceived when you place a man who says he is a girl and actually believes it on a can then tell us that we are stupid for not buying into it. This same group of people thinks it’s ok for children to be taught crap like this in school. Same people think it’s ok for a dude to swim against college women and win titles even though he is a man and will always be a man no matter how he dresses up. Question: if I were to tell your children (when I say children I mean like 8 years olds) if you have any on a random street corner about the birds and the bees without your consent would you be ok with it. A complete stranger, right? I would think not, probably try to hurt me, I know I would. So, why would it be acceptable for a teacher to do it? A complete stranger? Right? It isn’t. That’s not education, it’s perversion.
I think Zayas will do well for himself as long as he stays focused and keeps his nose clean. He can crack and is constantly improving. I wouldn’t throw him in their with killers just yet, but he’ll get there. First, he needs to get into confident championship condition and then maintain.
Also, Tiger Johnson had the coolest name in the entire card. With Olympic experience and amature background, if he meets his potential, marketing will be in his side.
zayas is marketable top rank signs him at 16 years old we will see how good he is in the future