Xander Zayas delivered a dominant unanimous decision win over Damian Sosa at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday.

All three judges scored the fight 100-90 in favor of Zayas.

Zayas, 22, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, took control from the opening round. The 27-year-old Sosa from Tijuana, Mexico, usually known for his pressure fighting style, surprisingly fought off his back foot. Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs), returning to the same venue where he headlined earlier this year, set the pace with sharp, clean punches. By the second round, Zayas’ accuracy and willingness to exchange were on full display, slowing Sosa’s attack.

Sosa (25-3, 12 KOs) tried to use more offense in the third round, but Zayas was precise with his left hook and continued to land clean shots as Sosa sporadically pushed forward. In the fourth round, Zayas turned the fight into a demonstration of his technical skills, leaving Sosa struggling to land anything significant as he remained on the defensive.

Zayas’ dominance continued in the fifth round. Although Sosa had only minor success towards the end of the round, it was not enough to change the momentum. On the sixth attack, Zayas targeted Sosa’s body and landed powerful shots that galvanized the New York crowd, who cheered as the punches landed.

Sosa, who was coming off a win against prospect Marques Valle in his previous fight, was outclassed as Zayas was always one step ahead. By the eighth round, Zayas was in full control and Sosa offered little more than his typical toughness. Zayas continued to dominate Sosa, landing eye-catching combinations that highlighted his offensive versatility.

In the final rounds, Zayas made what was billed as a tough test look like an overhaul, outclassing Sosa and leaving no doubt as to who was the better fighter that night.

Zayas is now faced with the question of what happens next. He’s surpassed the prospect stage, but the junior middleweight division is loaded with talent (Vergil Ortiz Jr., Tim Tszyu and now Terence Crawford for starters). Zayas will likely target higher-ranked opponents in the coming year as he inches closer to a world title shot.

Notably, four of Zayas’ last six wins, dating back to December 2022, have come by unanimous decision, demonstrating his ability to consistently control fights at a high level.

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of Inside The Ropes of Boxing (available on Amazon). Contact him at X @LukieBoxing.