Xander Zayas Drops Ronald Cruz In 1st Round, cruises to Eight-Round Decision

NEW YORK - Puerto Rican up and coming Boxer Xander Zayas was determined to deliver the type of performance to make his Puerto Rican followers proud, as they packed Madison Square Garden on Fight Night.

The up and coming 20 year old middleweight Puerto Rican Fighter dropped Ronald Cruz with a perfect right hand hit, just at 27 seconds into the first round of their 8 round lasting fight. Zayas was faster, stronger, and a whole entire level above Cruz throughout the fight. Zayas was dominant throughout but Cruz stood strong for 8 rounds in the Taylor-Lopez undercard.

Xander Zayas continued his impressive record as a young fighter, improving to 16-0 with 10 KOs.

Zayas' dominant triumph came on the eve of the annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan. Zayas has expressed his interest in headlining a card in 2024 on the night before the parade.

Cruz on the other hand, won't be headlining any card any time soon, the 31-year old fighter from California, 18-3-1, 12 KOs, has not been knocked out in 22 fights.

Zayas was supposed to face Cruz back in April, however before the fight Zayas injured his hand training early in march, the fight scheduled to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Zayas had caught Cruz late in the fight with 30 seconds left in the fight, however no matter how dominant that Zayas was Cruz would not fall and he would be determined to take the developing star the distance.

Xander Zayas was aggressive throughout the fight but overly aggressive early in the 7th round, especially when in the final 35 seconds he unloaded an array of power punches to try and knock Cruz to the canvas once again and end the bout, but Cruz would prove resilient enough to absorb Zayas' power. Zayas caught Cruz with a devastating left hook and a right hand as part of a multi-punch combination with a in minute and a half left in the seventh round.

Cruz took the shots from Zayas' well as in the fifth round Zayas wouldn't quit. Still giving thudding punches to the seasoned veteran, Cruz smiled at his younger counter part.

Zayas hit Cruz with a mean right hand in the fourth round, with just under a minute and a half left in the fourth round, Zayas would crack Cruz in the third round as well.

The young Puerto Rican has a bright future ahead of him, you saw this on full display when Zayas hit Cruz with a mean right hand to the middle of Cruz’s face that swiftly knocked Cruz to the canvas with only 27 seconds into the fight. Zayas, the Puerto Rican that hails from Santurce put on a dominant display on June 10th in Madison Square Garden showing out for his Puerto Rican supporters just the day before the Puerto Rican day parade in NYC. Zayas is the next in line in a sport where there have been plenty of superstars that hail from Puerto Rico. Miguel Cotto, Wilfredo Benitez, Carlos Ortiz, and Wilfredo Gomez.

Zayas showed all of us that he is here to stay in the sport of boxing and that he has a bright future ahead of him at just 20 years old. Xander has no fight scheduled at this moment but at the point where he is in his career he shall have no problem with scheduling another venue, the island of Puerto Rico is looking for another boxing legend after Miguel Cotto retired back in 2017. Zayas' dominating and controlling win against Cruz was just another example and entry into Zayas' impressive résumé at just 20 years old.