“I’m still in shock this fight has gotten made. I give credit to Xander Zayas because you must have a massive set of cajones. What you’re about to take part in on June 27th is one of the toughest tasks in boxing,” Hearn said at the kickoff press conference. “I love the heart, but I don’t know what Bad Bunny did to you.”
When Hearn joked about Bad Bunny “getting to him,” he was poking fun at the influence of Zayas’ management team, Rimas Sports, founded by the global superstar.
The implication is that Zayas is being guided by music money” logic, seeking the biggest, most iconic moments immediately rather than the slow, protective build typical of boxing veterans like Bob Arum or Hearn himself.
“He better have the same cajones, too, because I bring them, too,” Zayas said.
Hearn is being unusually honest about how the business works. Normally, a promoter would keep Zayas headlining at MSG or in Puerto Rico against mid-tier contenders to maximize ticket sales and milk his status as a young star before taking a 50/50 risk.
The mention of Bad Bunny highlights the cultural shift in Zayas’ career. Rimas Sports isn’t a traditional boxing outfit. They treat Zayas like a global brand. Hearn’s “shock” comes from the fact that they aren’t afraid to put their franchise player in a fight where he is a +230 underdog.
Zayas is taking a fight against a man many believe is the best pound-for-pound talent in the world, just as he’s hitting his physical peak. Whether it’s “cajones” or “Bad Bunny’s influence,” Zayas is effectively skipping the prospect graduation and going straight to a legacy-defining war.
