Top Rank Planning MSG Returns of Xander Zayas, Bruce Carrington
Jun 14, 2024 • 8:54 PM ET
LAS VEGAS – If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
That’s the theory behind the planned September returns of both unbeaten Puerto Rican junior middleweight Xander Zayas and Brooklyn’s Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington to the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum told BoxingScene that Zayas (19-0, 12 KOs) and featherweight Carrington (12-0, 8 KOs) are bound for a joint comeback after their convincing victories there June 8.
Another Top Rank official said the promotion is awaiting approval on dates to proceed.
The 21-year-old Zayas swept all 10 rounds on two scorecards and won 99-91 on the third card by riding his aggressiveness and power punching to a rout over former 154-pound titleholder Patrick Teixeira.
Carrington, 27, scored an eighth-round TKO over replacement opponent Brayan De Gracia, of Panama, on the same card – a bout watched from ringside by undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue.
Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti told BoxingScene that no opponents have materialized as of yet, although Zayas expressed interest in Erickson Lubin and new Top Rank signee Vito Mielnicki Jr.
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
