NEW YORK – Xander Zayas and his handlers determined toward the end of 2024 that he would need to beat an undefeated, world-rated opponent to get the junior middleweight title shot he hopes to secure later this year.

That’s why they didn’t hesitate when Zayas’ promoter, Top Rank Inc., suggested Slawa Spomer. Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs), a native Puerto Rican who resides in Sunrise, Florida, will oppose Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature of an ESPN tripleheader Friday night from Madison Square Garden’s Theater.

Zayas, 22, is the WBO’s number one-ranked contender for the 154-pound title held by Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), the 6-foot-6 southpaw who also owns the WBC super welterweight crown. Neither Zayas nor Spomer are listed among The Ring’s top 10 junior middleweight contenders.

Spomer, 32, is ranked 11th by the WBO. Born in Kyrgyzstan, Spomer, who lives in Germany, is trained by retired legend Roy Jones Jr. in Jones’ hometown of Pensacola, Florida.

Zayas pointed out during their press conference Wednesday that Spomer doesn’t fight like Jones performed when he was the sport’s pound-for-pound king. Zayas noted, too, that he has defeated fighters prepared by top trainers Freddy Roach and Robert Garcia.

“He’s a good boxer,” Zayas told The Ring. “I just feel like I’m better than him in every aspect of the game. I’ve got more speed, I got more power, I feel like I’m stronger on the inside and the outside. He doesn’t know how to control his distance so much. He’s not very good with his distance. He has heart. Like he’s not gonna quit. He’s not gonna just take a punch and call it a day. He’s gonna try to fight back, so I give him that. He’s a warrior. But skill-wise, I just feel like I’m better than him.”

ESPN’s three-bout broadcast is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET. Middleweights Connor Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs), of Derry, Northern Ireland, and Vito Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs), of Roseland, New Jersey, will open the telecast in a 10-rounder.

Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) is scheduled to defend his WBO lightweight title against Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs, 1 NC), of Norfolk, Virginia, in the 12-round main event. Davis is the WBO’s No. 1 contender for Berinchyk’s belt and rated fifth among The Ring’s top 10 lightweight contenders, one spot atop the sixth-ranked Berinchyk.