• last year
MORE BOXING FIGHTS: https://www.boxingfightsvideos.com

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/boxingfvideos_

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/boxingfvideos1/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/boxingfvideos_/
Transcript
00:00 was originally scheduled for April 1st to be a co-feature underneath Robesio Ramirez,
00:04 Isaac Dogbe and their featherweight title fight.
00:14 But then a training injury forced the withdrawal, the pushback, and we had a conversation with
00:19 Zander yesterday.
00:20 Listen, he's only 20 years old, undefeated 15-0, but he said, listen, sometimes your
00:24 body tells you you need a rest.
00:25 It's a mature thing to say, and it's the right thing to say.
00:30 Ronald Cruz started his career 16-0, suffered a loss in 2015, never been stopped as a pro.
00:37 What do you make of Cruz as an opponent at this stage of development for Zaius?
00:40 I think it's a good test for Zaius.
00:42 I think that Cruz had a good training camp.
00:45 The fight's been off and on, off and on.
00:46 He said, I never stopped training for this fight, and he's come to win.
00:49 We talk to fighters in the fighter meeting, and sometimes we get the sense they're trying
00:53 to convince themselves.
00:54 I didn't get that sense with Cruz.
00:55 I got this.
00:56 Oh, there's a big right hand from Zaius.
00:57 Zaius scores a knockdown 30 seconds into the fight.
01:06 I'd say he's refreshed and ready.
01:12 Remember, Cruz has never been stopped.
01:16 Just missed that uppercut left hook.
01:20 Zaius is a dynamic, young, offensive talent, and he just showed us.
01:32 The solid shot to the chest from Cruz.
01:35 Good shot right there.
01:36 I love what I'm seeing from Zaius right now, because his shots are landing heavy, but he's
01:40 not throwing them hard.
01:41 He's just shooting them from the hip, and they're landing in the right spot.
01:45 In control with his power.
01:48 He started that with a jab to the body, then went upstairs with the right hand.
01:51 There's the uppercut with the left hook to the body combination.
01:54 Getting just enough ones and twos, maybe twos and threes, and not getting greedy too early.
02:04 Probing that long jab.
02:05 He's got a great frame at junior middleweight.
02:12 Seven levels to that jab, goes to the body again with it.
02:32 I like everything that Zaius is doing before he punches.
02:35 The feints, the head movements.
02:37 One of the knocks on him is that he keeps his chin and his head in the position to get
02:41 hit when he's not punching.
02:42 I'm seeing a little improvement from that early in this first round.
02:45 That was one of the points of analysis that we really dug in on when we were with him
02:50 back in December of last year.
02:51 This is his second consecutive Madison Square Garden appearance, and I remember that being
02:56 a point of emphasis in your analysis the last time out, right?
02:58 That was actually something that Cruz, his opponent, mentioned in the fighter meeting,
03:03 so let's see if he can take advantage.
03:06 Big opening round for Xander Zaius.
03:08 Back off the injury, off some delays.
03:11 Goes to the body, works it back.
03:12 Upstairs on a four-punch combination with the right hand.
03:17 Sparked things early on here in round number one.
03:19 Oh, and he comes with a left hook on the back end of that combination.
03:23 Yeah, that body shot before, that was mania.
03:25 Doubling up the left hand as well.
03:27 Uppercut left hook, showing you a little bit of everything in round number one.
03:32 Xander Zaius was ready to come out firing.
03:35 I need you to continue that jab work, right?
03:36 I want you to add a little bit more feinting there, okay?
03:37 Let's get that-- Xander Zaius got off to a fast start.
03:45 Good jab, that's what set everything up.
03:48 And he took a nice slip to the right, avoided the jab of Cruz, and landed a beautiful counter
03:54 shot right there.
03:55 That lets you know that Xander Zaius is poised, he's within himself, and he's watching, and
04:00 he took full advantage of the mistake from Cruz right there.
04:06 Quick shot, quick sequence.
04:08 Then he finished the round strong.
04:11 Didn't see the body shot, but that left hook to the head was very strong.
04:15 I'm seeing a difference in the physical strength and the punching power, but again, Xander
04:20 Zaius is not throwing hard, but he is landing hard.
04:24 I think that's something that younger fighters often struggle with, don't you, Dre, in terms
04:30 of the mindset being, "To land hard, I gotta throw hard.
04:33 I gotta put everything into it."
04:35 That's the natural response you think you need when people say you gotta get knockouts.
04:39 They force it, they press.
04:40 Seeing poise tonight from the young fighter.
04:45 As Cruz's job is to-- he's tasted the power, he's gotta try to find a way in and try to
04:52 press the young fighter, punch while he's punching, I know that's dangerous, or punch
04:57 right after Zaius punches.
04:59 He's gotta try to get going.
05:01 In that first round, Zaius outlanded Cruz, 21 connects to six.
05:06 He outworked him, throwing 72 punches, and 14 of those 21 connects were power punches.
05:12 The worst thing that an opponent can do if they're trying to test a young fighter is
05:17 just to lay back and accept what's coming their way.
05:21 There's that uppercut left hook again.
05:25 If you let this young fighter get into a groove, it's gonna be even worse.
05:28 You might as well try to get something going and try to disrupt him as much as you can.
05:34 Ronald Cruz, the 31-year-old, the veteran.
05:37 When he turned pro, Zaius was only 12 years old.
05:44 Combination finishes with a left to the body, Cruz shakes it off.
05:48 Watch your heads.
05:50 Work your way up.
05:53 Hands are free.
05:56 First jab from Cruz.
06:01 Free punch combination, left hook finishes it again.
06:06 Cruz stepping forward, covering up for a moment, see if he crosses that threshold.
06:31 What Zaius comes back with, he tried to time the right uppercut when he did cross that
06:35 threshold.
06:36 He doesn't like what Cruz is doing.
06:37 He's got his hands up, pressing forward, hoping that he doesn't get hit with a clean shot.
06:43 He's gotta try to make something happen.
06:44 A high guard with hope is not exactly what you're looking for in a spot like this.
06:48 Especially with this kind of offense that he's facing is Xander Zaius.
06:51 You can see blood coming from the nose now of Cruz.
06:53 He ate that big right hand in round number one, just 30 seconds into the fight.
06:59 Again targeting that body.
07:01 Right now 32% of Zaius' punches are to the body.
07:07 That'll be a big point of emphasis in our main event tonight with the lineal champion,
07:12 the champion at 140 pounds, Josh Taylor, and his propensity to have a high work rate to
07:17 the body.
07:18 We'll see how Tiafemo Lopez deals with that.
07:20 It's a dynamic world championship fight coming your way next with Taylor and Lopez.
07:26 We're gonna take a short break here at the end of two.
07:28 When we come back, we will get Max Kellerman's thoughts on Taylor and Tiafemo.
07:33 Don't go anywhere.
07:35 Okay guys, target vault's ahead.
07:38 Keys confirmed inside.
07:39 Two Whopper juniors for just five dollars, six options, so much to offer.
07:45 All the ways to have a Whopper could unite the nation, no matter if you like Impossible
07:49 or Double Bacon.
07:50 All the ways to have a Whopper could unite the nation, no matter if you like Impossible
07:54 or Double Bacon.
07:55 Red Sox, Yankees.
07:56 Join us at Yankee Stadium on Sunday Night Baseball.
08:01 The NBA Finals on ABC.
08:07 Big night at the theater at MSG.
08:09 Max Kellerman, how do you see Josh Taylor, Tiafemo Lopez?
08:12 When they tell the story of boxing history and you talk about this era, you're gonna
08:17 have to mention this fight.
08:20 When we say lineal junior welterweight champion, Josh Taylor, what we're saying everyone is
08:24 he's the undisputed champ.
08:26 He fought and beat everyone with all the belts, and then one by one he gets stripped of this
08:29 one or that one, but he's the champ.
08:31 He's never lost.
08:32 And he's fighting the former, basically in the same way, undisputed lightweight champ.
08:37 The only difference in their records is one fight.
08:40 They're both 19 fights with 13 knockouts.
08:43 Josh Taylor narrowly escaped his close call and won a split decision.
08:48 Tiafemo Lopez just couldn't quite do enough on the night.
08:52 He lost his title fighting with a medical condition that could have killed him, but
08:56 he got up off the deck and scored a knockdown to Raleigh late.
09:01 This is a significant fight in the history of this era of boxing, and it promises fireworks.
09:08 No doubt about it, Max Kellerman.
09:09 You think about the signature win in Lopez's career against Vasily Lomachenko and the great
09:14 stretch that Josh Taylor went through to secure all four belts.
09:19 That is coming your way.
09:20 Josh Taylor and the fiery Tiafemo Lopez.
09:23 This is round three, scheduled for eight, of the dynamic 20-year-old prospect.
09:28 This is a guy who's now coming in to be a fringe contender and hoping to secure a title
09:33 shot in the course of a year from now, Dre.
09:35 No doubt about it.
09:36 If he stays the course, he's right there in that fringe position to become that contender
09:41 and then ultimately start making his route for a world title.
09:45 Lopez is having a wee bit more success in this round only because he's thrown a wee
09:52 bit more.
09:53 He's got to throw punches to try to land against a young fighter to try to get something going.
09:58 He can't just concede with getting hit with shots to the body and on the gloves because
10:04 Xander Zayas can do this for the full eight rounds.
10:06 The other thing, Dre, and you talk about this often, that high guard, when you have a puncher
10:10 like Zayas opposite you, he can punch through your gloves.
10:14 He's punching through your gloves and still doing damage to your arms and to you.
10:17 He's strong enough and he's accurate enough, as you just saw right there, to keep doing
10:20 that all night long.
10:23 The blood from the nose of Cruz.
10:28 Part of the reason why Cruz doesn't want to open up is because he feels the power.
10:33 He's getting hit accurately to the body and to the head.
10:36 What comes to your mind is if I get hit clean with that shot, I don't know what's going
10:39 to happen.
10:40 He's using that obstruction left hand and he gets the warning from Steve Willis.
10:53 His offense has been very consistent.
10:56 He's shown different arsenal, shots to the body and to the head, but he hasn't discouraged
11:04 Cruz.
11:05 Cruz is still coming forward.
11:06 Cruz comes forward trying to get a right hand to the body against Zayas.
11:18 Team Cruz told us, I said, "How do you see this fight playing out?"
11:20 He and his trainer said, "We see us, this going our way late.
11:24 We want to keep pressing early and be there late.
11:27 Let's see if that works."
11:28 Of course, already a 10-8 round in the bag for Zayas in round number one with a knockdown
11:32 score.
11:33 Here on National Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend celebrating its 66th year in New York, doing
11:38 so with Zayas in action.
11:40 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
11:44 He's confirmed inside.
11:45 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
11:49 He's confirmed inside.
11:50 Whopper, Whopper, build your Whopper.
11:51 Barbecue, bacon, more cheese, no shot.
11:52 Two Whopper juniors for just $5.
11:53 Six options, so much to offer.
11:54 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
11:55 He's confirmed inside.
11:56 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
11:57 He's confirmed inside.
11:58 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
11:59 He's confirmed inside.
12:00 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
12:01 He's confirmed inside.
12:02 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
12:03 He's confirmed inside.
12:04 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
12:05 He's confirmed inside.
12:06 Okay, guys, target bolts ahead.
12:07 He's confirmed inside.
12:08 Two Whopper juniors for just $5.
12:09 Six options, so much to offer.
12:10 All the ways to have a Whopper could unite the nation.
12:11 No matter if you like Impossible or Double Bacon.
12:12 All the ways to have a Whopper could unite the nation.
12:13 No matter if you like Impossible or Double Bacon.
12:14 Red Sox, Yankees, join us at Yankee Stadium.
12:15 We'll see you there.
12:16 The 2023 Men's College World Series begins Friday on ESPN.
12:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:45 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:46 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:47 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:48 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:49 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:51 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:52 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:53 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:54 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:55 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:57 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:58 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
12:59 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:00 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:01 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:36 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:42 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:48 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
13:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:04 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:10 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:18 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:24 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:30 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:36 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:42 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:48 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
14:54 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:00 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
15:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
16:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
17:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
18:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
19:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
20:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
21:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
22:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
23:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
24:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
25:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
26:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
27:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
28:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
29:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
30:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
31:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:20 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:26 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:32 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:38 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:44 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:50 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
32:56 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
33:02 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
33:08 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
33:14 Go to ESPN.com/WWE.
33:20 >> So eight rounds finished and that means as they tally the scores we will start getting you ready for the world championship fight between Josh Taylor and that dynamic force, the always entertaining T.O.F.
33:30 >> And when customers can make a $5 bet on tonight's world title fight with Taylor and Lopez and win $200 in bonus bets instantly, sign up now with promo code ropes.
33:44 >> Alexander Zayas was in control throughout against Ronald Cruz.
33:48 >> Max Kellerman and Mark Kregel, what say you?
33:50 >> I want to pick up, Mark, on something that Andre Ward said about Zayas' performance. It was workmanlike. But the importance in what Andre was saying, how he has to vary the speed and intensity of his punches and things like that is especially important for Zayas.
34:04 The signature Puerto Rican star of eras always has something really that stands out about him.
34:10 Wilford Benitez was the most precocious fighter ever, won a world title at 17, was one of the all-time great defensive boxers.
34:17 Felix Trinidad, or Hector Camacho was the next big star out of Puerto Rico, was maybe the fastest fighter who ever lived.
34:24 Felix Trinidad, by the time he was Zayas' age, almost decapitated Maurice Blocker to win the title.
34:32 Miguel Cotto started his career, you could see he was like a force of nature, so physically strong.
34:38 Zayas is none of those things. He's just a good, young, well-rounded fighter, a likable kid, where the finer points of the game are going to be extremely important for his success on the next level.
34:49 >> Why don't you ask Ronald Cruz how he feels about Xander Zayas? I think that would have been the toughest eight rounds of his entire life.
34:59 Listen, I largely agree with you. I give Xander Zayas an A for everything except for one category, imagination.
35:08 >> Yeah, he had him hurt early and couldn't finish him because he didn't adapt, he didn't adjust to the adjustments that the veteran had made to him.
35:16 >> Ladies and gentlemen, here inside the theater at Madison Square Garden, after eight rounds, we go to the judges' scorecards for the official decision.
35:27 John McKay, Alan Nace, and Robin Taylor all score the bout 80-71 for your winner by unanimous decision,
35:36 who this evening also receives the Miguel Cotto Award in honor of the Puerto Rican Day Parade here in New York City.
35:44 And still the NABF and NABO junior middleweight champion, Xander Zayas!
35:56 >> Puerto Rican pride here on Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend. They mention the Miguel Cotto Award, given out for the second time.
36:04 And speaking of Miguel Cotto, the referee for our world title fight tonight is Canada's Michael Griffin,
36:11 who's worked numerous big fights, including a Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend in 2014 when Cotto had that four knockdown beatdown of Sergio Martinez.
36:20 And moments ago, Griffin was in the locker room with Teofimo Lopez.

Recommended