Xander Zayas (15-0, 10 KOs) is one month away from his first fight of 2023. The Puerto Rican junior middleweight phenom will face nine-year veteran Ronald "Diablo" Cruz in the eight-round co-feature to the WBO featherweight world title clash between Robeisy Ramirez and Isaac Dogboe on Saturday, April 1, at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. (photos by Mikey Williams)

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Ramirez-Dogboe, Zayas-Cruz and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. 

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Zayas signed with Top Rank at 16 and has been on the fast track to stardom ever since. In 2021, the 20-year-old prospect notched six wins, four of them via stoppage. The following year, Zayas decisioned Quincy LaVallais in March, captured the vacant NABO junior middleweight title in August by knocking out Elias Espadas, and defended that title against Alexis Salazar in December. Zayas’ road to contender status continues against Cruz (18-2-1, 12, KOs), a Los Angeles native who has never been stopped and is coming off a close decision loss to Damian Sosa last August.

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