Zayas Garcia Final Press Conference

Xander Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) and Jorge Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) met earlier to day for their final press conference as they square off for the vacant WBO junior middleweight world championship this Saturday, July 26, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Xander Zayas

“I feel like every camp is completely different and every camp you prepare differently, but throughout my whole career, Top Rank and my team have prepared me for this moment. We always said that when we would fight for a world title, we would do it when we were ready to fight for it and win it. And this is the moment. Fight number 22 at MSG. It's my moment to become a world champion."

“Just like he and his family said that 2025 would be their year, I talked with my family and we said that 2025 would be my year. So at the end, we have to go in that ring and do our jobs, and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to come out victorious.”

"I had my team with me throughout my camp. My nutritionist team. My sparring partners. For the first time in my career, I did buy a camp house. So I’ve been enjoying the camp house for the last 10 weeks."

"This Saturday, Puerto Rico will have a new world champion at 154 pounds."

Jorge Garcia

“I’m happy to have been given this opportunity to fight for a world title. It's something that I've always dreamed of ever since I started in this business. And now I'm only days away from making this a reality. I’m ready and I’m here.”

“We have adopted a success mindset. And I've been working hard with my team and my promoter. And it looks like we are seeing the results of our hard work because here we are at a big press conference talking about this world title opportunity. I think it’s a good sign.”

“My family and I all declared that 2025 would be our year, the year we’d fight for and win a world title. And now, it’s right around the corner. Of course, I still have to get through Xander, but we’re ready. We’ve trained hard for this moment.”

"I worked hard for this. I come from the bottom. And I'm happy to be chasing my dream and the most important fight of my life."

Also on hand Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) and undefeated Namibian Mateus Heita (14-0, 9 KOs) as they will square off in the co-feature for the WBC interim featherweight title.

Son of Legend, Fernando Vargas undefeated junior welterweight Emiliano Fernando Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs) returns against Ecuador’s Alexander Espinoza (20-3-1, 9 KOs)

Zayas-Garcia, Carrington-Heita, and Vargas-Espinoza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and includes a trifecta of Caribbean standouts.

Dominican welterweight Rohan Polanco (16-0, 10 KOs) takes on veteran Quinton Randall (15-2-1, 3 KOs) in a 10-rounder, while second-generation Puerto Rican star Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (2-0, 1 KO) makes his second appearance at The Theater against Jorge Gonzalez-Sanchez (5-2, 4 KOs) in a four-rounder at junior bantamweight.

Yan Santana (14-0, 12 KOs), a power-punching featherweight from the Dominican Republic, faces former world title challenger Aaron Alameda (30-2, 17 KOs) in a 10-round fight.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

At Thursday's press conference, this is what the fighters said: