Xander Zayas cannot become the mandatory challenger for WBO junior middleweight champ Sebastian Fundora by winning his next fight.

The Puerto Rican contender can, however, beat an unbeaten opponent for the first time since he knocked out Orlando Salgado, then 1-0, in the first round of Zayas’ fifth professional fight in September 2020. The Ring has confirmed that Zayas, the WBO’s number one-ranked junior middleweight contender, has agreed to box unbeaten German contender Slawa Spomer on February 14.

Zayas-Spomer will serve as the 10-round co-feature before another undefeated fighter promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., Keyshawn Davis, challenges unbeaten Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk for Berinchyk’s WBO lightweight title. Both fights will air on an ESPN platform from Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theater in New York City.

Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs), of Davie, Florida, cannot guarantee himself a shot at Fundora’s title by beating the 10th-ranked Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs) because Terence Crawford is the WBO interim junior middleweight champion. Crawford therefore is in line to fight Fundora if Fundora is willing to defend his belt against one of the best boxers, pound-for-pound, in the sport.

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), of Omaha, Nebraska, is ranked number one by The Ring in the 154-pound division, three spots atop the fourth-rated Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), of Coachella, California. Neither Zayas, 22, nor Spomer, 32, are ranked in the top 10 by The Ring.

Spomer has defeated three unbeaten opponents since November 2021, yet he is essentially anonymous among boxing fans in the U.S.

His most noteworthy win was a 10th-round stoppage of France’s Milan Prat (24-1, 18 KOs) in October 2023 in Oberhausen, Germany. Spomer led comfortably according to all three judges – 89-77, 88-78 and 87-80 – when referee Manuel Palomo halted his WBO elimination match against Prat.

Zayas shut out Mexico’s Damian Sosa (25-3, 12 KOs) on each scorecard in his most recent appearance, which resulted in a 10-round, unanimous-decision win September 27 at Madison Square Garden’s Theater.

Once Zayas opposes Spomer, Ukraine’s Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) is set to defend his WBO 135-pound championship versus Davis (12-0, 8 KOs, 1 NC), of Norfolk, Virginia, in the 12-round main event.