By Sean Crose
Xander Zayas, the rising young middleweight 13-0, took on Elias Espadas 22-4-0 in an 8th round match scheduled for Saturday night at Resorts World Las Vegas. The match was the co-main event of Top Rank’s Teofimo Lopez-Pedro Campas card and was streamed live by ESPN. 19-0 Zayas started straight away, moving quickly with his slit. A rocket from the left wing put Espadas into the first game in the first minute. Espadas bravely rose to his feet, and Zayas was right back to his men’s pursuit. Needless to say, the Espadas finished the round on their feet.
The 31-year-old Espadas appeared to have fully recovered from the knockdown in the second round, but was saved by Zayas several times throughout the show. Zayas landed hard and steady with his man throughout the third round. By the fourth inning, it was wonder how many shots headed straight for Espadas and his team intended to let him take. Then, at the beginning of the fifth season, Zayas takes out his men again. The referee saw enough and stopped the fight with the Espadas back on his feet.
