In a surprising twist in the world of sports and entertainment, champion boxer Xander Zayas recently disclosed that the renowned musician Bad Bunny personally selected him for his appearance in the Super Bowl halftime show, instead of relying on male models as originally planned. This revelation came to light when Zayas spoke with TMZ Sports shortly after showcasing his skills on the field while donning boxing trunks and gloves during Bad Bunny's performance at Levi's Stadium this past Sunday.
It's not every day that boxing makes its way into a Super Bowl halftime show, but Zayas was given a unique opportunity that he clearly did not take lightly. The dynamic collaboration featured both Zayas and fellow boxer Emiliano Vargas engaged in shadow boxing, adding an electrifying element to the musician's routine.
Zayas shared that Bad Bunny had initially intended to have models portray boxers but then decided to switch gears. He reached out to Zayas, who has an impressive record of 23 wins and no losses, giving him the chance to shine on one of the biggest stages in sports. "He thought, 'We just signed Xander Zayas to Rimas Sports, his company, so why not have him?'" Zayas recounted, explaining how he was offered this exciting role just two weeks before his scheduled fight. "Obviously, I told him, 'Hey, I need to win first.' I don’t want to go to the Super Bowl as a loser," he added with a smile.
Zayas indeed lived up to his own expectations, securing a victory on January 31 against Abass Baraou at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, which crowned him as the youngest unified world champion. With the thrill of the Super Bowl experience still fresh, we could not resist asking Zayas if he would welcome Bad Bunny stepping into his boxing world, to which he eagerly replied in the affirmative.
Reflecting on this extraordinary journey, Zayas expressed his disbelief, stating, "I'm still in a dream. I'm still trying to blink and wake up from it. It's been an amazing two weeks." His enthusiasm is palpable, and it's clear that this fusion of boxing and music has left a lasting impression on him.
