By the end of the seventh round, a smile crossed Xander Zayas’ face during his 10-round junior middleweight bout with Damian Sosa Friday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Xander Zayas systematically dismantled Damian Sosa in a 10-round unanimous decision (Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank)
Zayas knew what he was doing, and he did it well, going to the body and demolishing Sosa on the Mikaela Mayer-Sandy Ryan undercard.
In what was his best performance to date as a pro, Zayas (20-0, 13 KOs) picked up the best win of his career with a 10-round unanimous decision over Sosa (25-3, 12 KOs).
Zayas won by 100-90 knockout scores from all three judges.
Zayas established his jab early and mixed his shots well, from the head to the body. He gradually worked off a steady jab, working in combinations and showing great patience to systematically break down Sosa.
He was responsible defensively, weaving under Sosa attacks and turning over. He did everything but stop the rugged Sosa.
Punch stats confirm Zayas’ dominance; He threw 148 of 336 total punches (44%), which included 74 body connects to Sosa’s paltry 42 total connections out of 272 total punches thrown (15%) and included just two body connects.
Zayas landed double-digit connections in every round. His lowest output was the first round, when he connected on 14 shots. Otherwise, it was an all-out assault on the veteran Sosa.
Sosa entered the fight throwing an average of 84 punches per round.
Zayas’ defense and constant pressure made a very aggressive fighter receptive, constantly forcing Sosa to be on the defensive. He averaged nearly 30 fewer punches per round than he usually did.
“I just told (Sosa) he pushed me and elevated me to the next level,” Zayas said. “Now I feel like I’m ready (for a title shot). Before, I felt I was ready. Now I’m letting everyone know I’m ready for some names.
“They said (Sosa) threw 84 punches a round. I didn’t see it today. I did my job. Now I have to be calm and relax and see what the company wants. I want whoever is in the top five.”
Zayas, 22, fought off the back foot and was steady at the start, using his jab to create openings. Sosa, 27, was unable to generate any offense as she was backed up by the faster, younger opponent.
Zayas controlled the range and distance. Sosa allowed Zayas to set his feet and land combinations. By the third, Sosa felt that he was quickly losing ground, and tried to get ahead. His aggression was met by a Zayas left hook. In the first minute of the third, Zayas changed levels and landed a left to the body and the head.
Sosa learned that once he approached Zayas’ strike zone, he would pay a price.
By the fifth, the fight had grown into a pattern that Sosa could not break. Zayas suited himself well, staying comfortable in the pocket, diving under Sosa’s sacrifice and countering with left hooks and uppercuts.
In the latter rounds, Zayas dished out more of the same.
The young Puetro Rican says his time is now for a title shot.
He might be right.
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has worked for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito (twitter.com)
