Xander Zayas Jorge Garcia Square Off July 26 for the Vacant WBO Title

Undefeated Puerto Rican Xander Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) gets his crack at a world title as he will take on Jorge Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) of Mexico for the vacant WBO junior middleweight world championship on Saturday, July 26, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden live on ESPN.

”This is a dream I’ve worked hard for my entire life. I’ve got a good opponent in Jorge Garcia, a Mexican hungry to become a world champion,” Zayas said. “But I’m ready to raise the Puerto Rican flag high in victory and become a world champion at 22 years old. See you all on July 26.”

“A lot of people thought I wasn’t going to win my last fight, but I scored a stunning upset,” said Garcia. “Even though I was the underdog, I shocked the world. This fight won’t be any different. Becoming a world champion is my dream, and I’m ready to make it come true on July 26 with a dominant win over Xander Zayas. Mexico will have a new champion this summer.”

“When we signed Xander at the age of 16, he was a teenager with all the potential in the world. He’s now an accomplished young contender with a tremendous opportunity to win his first world title,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Jorge Garcia has been impressive lately, and I expect an action-packed, dramatic main event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.”

In the co-feature, Brooklyn native Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) and unbeaten Namibian Mateus Heita (14-0, 9 KOs) square off for the WBC interim featherweight world title.

“It’s always a thrill to fight in my city, and I can’t wait to bring the ‘Shu Shu Show’ back to The Theater at Madison Square Garden,” Carrington said. “The featherweight division is full of champions who have refused my challenge, so I credit Heida for accepting. That said, I will take out my frustration on him on July 26 and continue putting the division on notice.”

“I’ve proven to the world that I’m a world-class boxer, and facing the best has always been my ambition because I believe I’m destined for greatness," said Heita. "I see Bruce as just another obstacle to becoming a world champion. There’s nothing particularly special about him — he’s simply another challenge I will overcome.”

And, in the eight-round televised opener, undefeated prospect Emiliano Fernando Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs),returns against Alexander Espinoza (20-3-1, 9 KOs) of Ecuador.

“Like 50 Cent said, I run New York. All jokes aside, I’m ready to perform on the biggest stage and continue to win,” Vargas said. “Each fight is one step closer to becoming the world champion God called me to be.”

The preliminary card on ESPN+ features second-generation Puerto Rican star Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (2-0, 1 KO) and the pro debut of Team USA amateur sensation Julius ‘JuJu’ Ballo.