- 5 days ago
South Florida's own Xander Zayas joins the show to discuss his WBO title fight on ESPN vs Jorge Garcia Perez on 7/26, why the Sebastian Fundora fight didn't happen, his callout plans after winning the belt, Florida Panthers winning it all, and a 46 year old Pacquiao's return!
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00:00Xander Zayas joining us here on the program. What's going on, buddy? How are you?
00:05What's up, guys? Nice to see you again, and I'm excited, excited for what's next.
00:09Obviously, the biggest step of my career, and I'm just happy to be in this position.
00:14This has got to be so cool for you, man. This has been such a journey,
00:17and this was not like a date that was without drama because you thought
00:22you were going to fight one guy for the belt, Sebastian Fundora,
00:25and then it ends up you get another opponent. How was that whole process for you,
00:30feeling like you were going to fight the towering Inferno, this 6'5 freak
00:35at that weight class, and now you've got to go and move on to a different type of style?
00:41Well, obviously, it was a bit frustrating at the beginning because I wanted to face
00:46the champion, which at the time was, like you said, Sebastian Fundora.
00:49He was the unified world title, WBC, WBO. I was the mandatory WBO.
00:55So, fight, we started talking. I thought we were close to making something happen.
01:02Day or two before the negotiation period ended, they said, hey, we're going another route.
01:08We have Tim Zhu on board. We already signed off for the fight.
01:11So, obviously, a bit frustrated because I wanted to face the champion, but excited
01:19because I knew that the next guy was going to be Jorge Garcia Perez since he beat Charles
01:26Conwell for the mandatory position after me. So, I knew it was one and two, and he earned
01:33his opportunity. So, really excited for that because I know he's coming, and he's hungry
01:39to become a world champion just like myself.
01:42Well, Xander, did you get a theory on to why he didn't want the fight? Because he's fighting
01:48this weekend on the Pacquiao card, but you guys are going to main event at Madison Square
01:52Garden.
01:52Yeah, well, the theory that we heard is that they had a rematch clause, which, again, I
02:01don't believe it because after two years, I think they fought two years ago, they went
02:07into fighting again. Tim Zhu fought twice, got knocked out once, then won in Australia.
02:13Sebastian Fundora defended his title. So, that rematch clause, I don't believe it.
02:17Yeah, I think it was more like an inside-the-house thing, just keeping one of the belts rather
02:25than taking the risk, fighting the young fighter, and losing them both. So, again, I can't be
02:31mad at that. It's part of business. It's part of the sport, and I know my opportunity will
02:35come, and it's here, July 26th, world title at 22 years old.
02:40ESPN, dude. Main event on ESPN, Leroy. Look at him, dude. This is incredible.
02:44It's amazing because, you know, we saw you early on, and just kind of like the frustration
02:50of wanting to be, wanting to get your opportunities, and now you're gleaming. Like, you're just happy,
02:57I'm here, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to show what I could do. So, like, you know, is it one
03:04of those situations where, man, I've been patient, and it paid off? Because there's a lot of fighters
03:10out there where it doesn't really pay off. They can't continue to perform every fight,
03:17and they slip. How focused have you been, and isn't it, you know, just, are you just happy
03:23to finally, you know, get the chance, and the patience paying off?
03:28Leroy, I feel like I stay the course. I mean, every fight you see the improvement, every fight
03:34you see something different. Every fight you see better and better opponents. So, you know,
03:40like I've been saying, and like, you know, we've been talking for years now, I've been wanting my
03:45opportunity, but I didn't want to rush that opportunity. I didn't want that opportunity
03:48to be just an opportunity. I wanted to make sure that I was ready for it, and that I was ready to
03:54become our world champion. Now, going into my 22nd fight as a professional, I know that I'm ready
04:00to become our world champion. It's my time now, and obviously, all that hard work, all that dedication,
04:06all that, you know, patience paid off, and it's finally here. You know, my opportunity finally,
04:11you know, arrived. That's a rare quality for a young person. I won't even say fighter,
04:20a young person, to say what you just said. So, we can't be happier, because like I said,
04:26we've enjoyed the ride. Man, and again, I feel like it's not so much me. Obviously, I am an
04:32impatient, you know, young guy, because I want my opportunity. I want the world to see me. I want
04:38the world to know who I really am, but I have a great team behind me, and I can't put those guys
04:45and those people that are behind me aside, because they made all this possible, from my coaching staff,
04:51to my nutritionist, to my management, everybody. Everybody put their piece together for this to
04:58happen, and they always tell me, hey, this is the course. This is what we need to do. This is the
05:03next step. We will get there, and obviously, trusting them my whole career. My manager has a
05:10ton of experience in the boxing world, Peter Khan, and shout out to him. He always told me that when my
05:16opportunity arrived, it was going to be big, and it was going to be something that we knew we were
05:21going to be ready for, and this is not the exception. I know I'm ready to become our world
05:26champion. I'm curious, you know, you're a South Florida guy, but is there a different level of
05:33torture of training in the summer? Because I've been to that gym, you know, Javier Santana. It's
05:38called the sweatbox, Leroy. Yes, it's called the sweatbox. I can't even imagine what it must be like
05:43training in July in South Florida. Like, do you feel like a different level of edge training down here?
05:48Definitely, for sure, for sure. Like, I feel like it's either Christmas, it gets too cold,
05:56and you're like, man, I can't even break a sweat, or it's summer, and it's like, man, can I stop
06:02sweating? Can it stop being hot for a day? Every day I go into that gym, it's like a sauna. It's like,
06:09I don't even have to make weight. I'm already on weight. So, yeah, no, overall, it trains you
06:15mentally more than anything else. The physical part will always be there. I always push myself.
06:21I always push my limits. I want to be better every single day at what I do, but definitely the mental
06:26part plays a big part, a big factor on that, because going into a gym that is 105, 110 degrees
06:34Fahrenheit every time you go in there, and having to train and put 18, 20 rounds when, you know, when
06:40it's volume days, it takes a lot mentally. So, for sure, it trains my mentality.
06:46How much in this fight, Xander, is it, you know, I know that there comes a lot of pressure with being
06:53like one of the faces of ESPN and top rank. So, do you feel, because I feel like when I watch these
06:58broadcasts, it's like, if you're not pristine, they got every little critique for you, you know,
07:02to be a perfect fighter, even though at 22, you still are growing, and you're still learning.
07:07So, like, is there, like, what's the level of pressure of not only getting the championship,
07:11but putting on a show? Because you closed it last time, you got a late stoppage. Is that still
07:16something that's on your mind when you take on Jorge coming on up?
07:20Not at all. Not at all. Win. Win. If you watch all my fights, 20, 21 fights, I haven't lost more
07:27than two rounds. So, all the critiquing, all the, it's nice because you get something to hear and
07:33learn from, because maybe they're seeing something I'm not seeing. But when you, when you're perfect
07:38for 21 fights, almost 100 rounds, and probably lost one or two in each of those, like, meaning
07:46in total for all those fights, you know, you, you know, you're doing something right. So,
07:53there's no added pressure. It's just another night. It's just another visit to the Big Apple,
07:57the Big City. I fought seven times there. I knew, I know every tunnel. I know every security guard.
08:03I know everybody in there. It's my building. And, and, and this time is just for, for a world title.
08:08So, I, I can't, I can't overthink that. I just got to focus, listen to the corner, have fun,
08:16like, I've been doing, and get the victory, become a world champion.
08:20What do you think that atmosphere is going to be like? Like, Puerto Rico obviously gets so behind.
08:23You guys have such a rich heritage. Yeah.
08:25But like that, the fan base there, like, what does it mean?
08:28Man, I feel like, I feel like it's going to be a, a crazy atmosphere. And not just because,
08:33um, of the, of, of what this fight means, but because Puerto Rico and New York has been watching
08:40me since my, since my day one, literally since day one. And, and they always show up. They always
08:47show up. They always show up. They always show up a lot, a lot of love. They also, we also have
08:51Bruce Carrington fighting in that car, Shushu, um, as the co-main event. He's from Brooklyn.
08:55So I know it's going to be a lot of people from, from the Big Apple and, and from Puerto Rico
09:00flying into, um, New York to watch me. So the atmosphere is going to be amazing. I feel like
09:05it's something that, that I'm used to, but it's going to be a bit different now knowing what's
09:11behind it. Um, so I'm really excited for it because New York is always, it's always nice
09:16to me. Um, the people of New York is always amazing to me. Um, same thing, obviously the
09:21people from Puerto Rico, people from Florida. So I'm just, I'm just excited to, to showcase
09:26what I, what I do one more time.
09:27What do you think is, uh, the biggest challenge that Jorge presents? Like what are the things
09:31that you've been working on to, to, to perfect, to get this win?
09:34Um, he, he's very, he's very unorthodox with some of his punches. Um, you know, they come
09:42from different angles that you're not used to, uh, or, or, or regular, you know, boxers
09:47are not used to. Um, but I feel like we've, we've had a great, great training camp where
09:53we know when to capitalize on things, when we know when to take advantage of things.
09:58I feel like I'm better than him. I'm faster than him. I'm stronger than him. Um, I have
10:02a better technique than he does, but he is a warrior. He is Mexican. He's going to come
10:07forward. He's going to throw punches. He's not going to quit. I know that for a fact.
10:10I could be hitting him with the whole house and he's going to continue to come forward.
10:15So we got to be ready mentally and physically for that. And, and, and I know we are, what's
10:20it going to be like, Alexander? I know you got a task at hand, all right? Tasking. And
10:22we got to get the, here we go. Here we go. I understand. But like you've like, you're
10:28then there. And so like, you're going to be swimming in this waters with like, you know,
10:33Virgil Ortiz and, you know, hopefully Fendora, maybe he gets, uh, you know, maybe he wants
10:37to finally do the fight or, you know, I know you and Lubin have gone back and forth.
10:41Maybe Crawford, if he loses to Canelo, like he's back in the mix or boots. Ennis, if he
10:46comes on up or wrong, like there's a lot of names there, there's a lot of talent that
10:51I'm sure you have in mind and have thought about, like, is there, are there particular
10:56names? Is there a dream opponent? Is there something that like, is you, you get this, this
11:01belt and like, you, you, you have a next one in mind? Like, do you have a call out?
11:05For sure, Tobin, the next opponent in, in mine and in what I have in, in, in plans is
11:11Jorge Garcia Perez. But to your question, after I become our world champion, there's no more
11:18running. There's no more, oh, he's too young. Oh, he hasn't done this. I'm a world champion.
11:23Now you got to come face me. You got to, you, you, you have, you, you want what I got.
11:28So you got to come take it from me. So it's, it's amazing. It's exciting to, to know that
11:34I'm literally one fight away from being in the, in the mix. And, and from those fighters
11:38that maybe one day said no, or one day said, oh, but this, but that there's no more excuses.
11:43I'm in there now.
11:45Talking to Xander's eyes. He's going to be fighting in the main event, July 26th on ESPN
11:49for the WBO super welterweight title, 21 and 0, just 22 years old, South Florida zone.
11:55He's going to be heading up to MSG at the theater. So you guys make sure you support
11:59you. Check them on out. Got to get your thoughts, man. We haven't had you on your Florida Panthers
12:04champions. What did that, what did that mean? Back to back, man, back to back. I think we
12:08can win it three times next year, to be honest. I think we can, we can run the three, the three
12:13feet. But it's exciting. It's exciting. Obviously seeing all the fans and, and everybody else
12:19supporting their team. And, and to be honest, I'm not a big hockey fan because I'm not going
12:25to sit here and tell you all, I know all about hockey, but every time I do go to a game, I
12:30do enjoy it. I do love watching those guys go at it and fight. It's, it's amazing how
12:35they let them fight. So, um, yeah, really exciting for, for, for all Florida Panthers fan and for,
12:41for the hockey fans, because I feel like, you know, it's a sport that, that a lot of people
12:45maybe, um, outside the, the United States don't watch, but it's an exciting game.
12:50Zane, is it, is it, it's more, it's a better watch if you go live than on TV, right?
12:56For sure. No, for sure. But I feel like that's, I feel like that's every sport, like the same
13:01thing with baseball. Like I, I love going to watch the Miami, um, the Marlins play any team
13:07because it's more fun watching it live than actually sitting on a TV and watching it, you
13:12know? So I enjoy, I enjoy sports. I, I am a big, um, sport guy. I, maybe I'm not the
13:20best at knowledge in every single one of them, but I do enjoy going out, I'm going out there
13:24live and watching, um, some of the, um, South Florida teams.
13:29How interested you in, uh, Pacquiao's return this week? And you think you still got something
13:32in the tank, man, at 45, his last exhibition didn't look so well. He's fighting, uh, he's
13:40fighting, uh, he's fighting a champion. Um, yeah, the champion might not be the best at
13:47his weight class, but he's still a champion. You know, he's still hungry. He's still young.
13:52Um, he went 12 rounds with, with, with, with tank to tank, you know, just got a nice, um,
13:59body shot in. Um, I don't know if he still got it like that. I don't, I'm not sure.
14:06It's hard when a guy you admire gets it to the point where you just, uh, you know,
14:12you're just pushing it. You're just pushing it. It's like, it's like, it's like, it's like
14:16when, when Mike Tyson got in the ring with, with Jake Paul, it's like, man, such a legend,
14:22but it's like, you're, you're just pushing him, you know?
14:24Like if Peter, if Peter Khan came to you and he said, Hey, Miguel Cotto wants to come back
14:30and he wants to fight you. Like they were going to do the Puerto Rican next generation.
14:33I'll probably hit him up first. I'll probably like call him like, yo, like, are you, are
14:38you for real? Like, what are you doing? You call him Peter or Cotto? I'll call Cotto right
14:48away. I'm like, he's like, what, what's going on? Like, I heard this or that, that. And if
14:52he tells me like, yeah, like I want to come back and I think like you're the right opponent.
14:55I guess, I guess sometimes you got to beat the legends, right? Sometimes we got to beat
15:03the fighter. You look up to the look, he just went, I mean, what do you want me to unite?
15:10Like what? I call him like out of respect and tell him like, yo Cotto, I heard this. I heard
15:15that because obviously I do look up to Cotto. He's a legend. He's my favorite fighter. Um, so if I hear,
15:22if I ever hear something like that, like I'll be surprised, I'll have to call him and ask him
15:26personally. And if, because that's, that's what happened. Pacquiao saw him, saw Barrios fight
15:32and he said, oh, I think I can beat this guy. So if Cotto comes out and say, I want to fight
15:37Xander, it's because he thinks he can beat me. So I don't think he's going to do that with
15:46you. I think he, yeah. Once you get in that ring, all bets are off. Like, yeah, no, for
15:50sure. For sure. It's just, it's the same thing. Like I look up to a lot of fighters nowadays.
15:54Uh, even like fighters that are close to my division or, or, or not even close to my, and
16:02maybe if one day happens, it's like, yeah, all that admiration, all that goes out the window.
16:07We have to face each other is business. And I got to go in there and do my job. So obviously
16:13is, is, is amazing to somebody like Barrios having to face Pacquiao and in his eyes is
16:19like, wow, I'm facing somebody that I looked up to. And because there, you can't tell me
16:23no boxer that hasn't been a fan of Manny Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao in his day was, was the best
16:28fighter in the world. So obviously it's gotta be something to be amazed by. But when you
16:33go in there that Saturday, he has to be locked in and knowing that Pacquiao is trying to take
16:38everything that he worked for. Xander, we're proud of you, man. Good luck coming
16:43up on July 26th. Go watch him on ESPN. Yes, sir. Once you win, bring that hardware, bring
16:48that gold to the studio, man. You make sure you come show us the best. I got you. No,
16:52I got you. Right after the fight, right after the fight, I'll make sure I'll show up to the
16:56studio and pay you guys to visit. You guys are always on my corner. You guys are always
17:00showing me love. So I appreciate you guys. I appreciate to all the listeners, all the Miami
17:05fans. July 26th is the day. I'm on ESPN, like Tobin said, and I'm going to become a world
17:11champion. Cool, man, dude. Congratulations. All right. We're looking for it. Yes, sir.
17:16All right. Andy Saez joining us there. Want to South Florida Zone. Go check him out. ESPN on July 26th.