ORLANDO, Florida — Madison Square Garden has often been the stage for some of the best moments for some of the best boxers to come from Puerto Rico.

On July 26, downstairs from the same arena where Puerto Rican legends and International Boxing Hall of Famers Miguel Cotto and Felix Trinidad cemented their place as two of the best boxers to ever come from their home island, Xander Zayas rose to the occasion. He defeated Jorge Garcia Perez by unanimous decision at MSG Theater to become the WBO junior middleweight champion.

While Zayas didn’t expect his first world title to come against Perez in New York, the moment was still everything he could have hoped for and then some.

“It was beautiful,” Zayas told The Ring. “Something that I always dreamed of. I didn't expect it to be at MSG. I thought it was going to be in Vegas, fighting Sebastian Fundora and becoming unified champion, but it happened where it needed to happen. It happened how it needed to happen, and I'm just blessed to be in this position.”

Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, handily outboxed Perez (33-5, 28 KOs) to win the then-vacant WBO junior middleweight title. Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs), who is the WBC junior middleweight champion, relinquished the WBO belt in favor of rematching Tim Tszyu, and he went on to retain the title with a seventh-round stoppage victory on July 19.

Zayas’ victory made him the youngest world champion in boxing at just 22 years old.

Now, Zayas has his sights set on his first world title defense, which he hopes comes before 2026. And if things were to really break Zayas’ way, his first title defense would take place back home.

“I would love the first defense to be in Puerto Rico,” Zayas said. “That's something that we and the team want to do, and we’re pushing for that.”

Zayas added: “That'll be beautiful. I've only fought in Puerto Rico as a professional once in my fourth fight. Now, coming back as a world champion, I think it's going to be even bigger.”