Xander Zayas desires to go down as a legend of the game when his boxing profession is finished.
The younger Puerto Rican star turned professional with promotional powerhouse Prime Rank when he was solely 16 years previous. He is lengthy been marked for greatness and on the age of twenty-two will battle for his first world title this weekend.
He is been hailed because the inheritor to Miguel Cotto and different legendary names within the sport.
“That’s what I want, that’s what I dream about, that’s why I do it. I want to be one of the greatest to ever do it but at the end of the day I have to continue to do my part. I’ll let the public and the fans do their part and rate me however they want to rate me,” Zayas informed Sky Sports activities.
“I love being named with legends like Miguel Cotto,” he continued. “Different Puerto Rican legends, I really like being talked about round them. However being trustworthy I wish to be Xander Zayas.
“I want people to recognise my effort and recognise what I do for who I am.”
On Saturday night time he’ll field Jorge Garcia Perez at Madison Sq. Backyard Theater in New York for the vacant WBO super-welterweight world title.
“Fighting for my first world title at MSG, I mean it’s a dream come true,” Zayas mentioned. “It gets me a whole different level, elite level, and there’s no running from me anymore.
“All eyes have been on me since I used to be 16 years previous and I signed my skilled contract. There is no extra strain added. I’ve to maintain going, I’ve to proceed to do what I do finest and preserve profitable fights.
“This is the fight that elevates me from the kid into the man.”
With Zayas the WBO No 1, Garcia Perez their No 2 and England’s Josh Kelly ranked at No 3, the Puerto Rican can envisage making a title defence towards the Briton if he’s victorious.
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Zayas stopped Elias Espadas within the fifth spherical after his second knockdown on the Resorts World Occasions Middle in Las Vegas
“We’ve seen some fights and clips of Josh Kelly. Good fighter. Somebody that I think I’d beat and it’s a fight that would be really good to sell here in the US and back at his home in the UK. It could be an amazing fight,” Zayas mentioned.
“If he decides to stay the course with the WBO and I become a world champion and then we make that happen, I feel like it’s a good fight to make happen and I feel like I will beat him.
“I really feel like each title in these two divisions I can beat,” he added. “In my coronary heart and in thoughts there’s no one higher than me once they step within the ring. There’s no one working more durable than me, there’s no one that has the identical ambition, athleticism, work ethic, none of those guys have it. I am not afraid of anyone in 160lbs, 154lbs or 147lbs.
“I’m going to show the world I’m one of the best and why I say I’m one of the best at 154lbs.”
