Boxer Xander Zayas Describes 'Beautiful' Experience at Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show

Puerto Rican boxer Xander Zayas had a whirlwind week, winning a title fight then rehearsing and performing with Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Puerto Rico's Xander Zayas, the youngest unified male world champion in boxing, had a remarkable eight-day stretch in late January and early February. After defeating Abass Baraou to unify the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles in front of his hometown fans in San Juan on January 31, Zayas flew straight to San Francisco to rehearse and perform with Bad Bunny during the Puerto Rico-inspired Super Bowl LX halftime show. Zayas described the experience as 'beautiful' and said the energy backstage was incredible, with everyone 'so amped up' and 'fired up' for the big performance.

Why it matters

Zayas' appearance with Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl halftime show was a major boost for the 23-year-old boxer, who is trying to become a crossover star. As the youngest unified male world champion, Zayas is succeeding in the ring, but has struggled to gain wider attention due to his promoter Top Rank losing its ESPN broadcast deal. The Bad Bunny partnership has helped raise Zayas' profile and opened doors for him to meet other high-profile celebrities and athletes.

The details

Zayas signed a marketing deal with Bad Bunny's Rimas Sports last September, paving the way for him to appear on the Super Bowl halftime show. Zayas described the atmosphere backstage as electric, with the dancers, models, actors, and even Bad Bunny himself 'so amped up' and 'fired up' for the performance. Zayas got to meet and interact with other celebrities like J Balvin, Ronald Acuña, Lady Gaga, and Ricky Martin, who all recognized him and expressed excitement about his boxing career.

  • On January 31, 2026, Zayas defeated Abass Baraou in front of 12,000 fans in San Juan to unify the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles.
  • Immediately after the title fight, Zayas flew to San Francisco to rehearse and perform with Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl LX halftime show on February 11, 2026.

The players

Xander Zayas

A 23-year-old Puerto Rican boxer who is the youngest unified male world champion, holding the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles.

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican rapper and singer who headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show and has a marketing partnership with Zayas through his Rimas Sports company.

Abass Baraou

A German boxer who Zayas defeated to unify the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles.

J Balvin

A Colombian singer and rapper who Zayas met backstage at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Ricky Martin

A Puerto Rican singer who Zayas met backstage at the Super Bowl halftime show.

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What they’re saying

“Man, the day of [the Super Bowl] was a very big energy, not just from me but from everybody in the cast — all the dancers, all the models, all the actors. Even [Bad Bunny]. Everybody was just so amped up when we got there and were setting up. When we were waiting for the music to start dropping, everybody was just so anxious and ready to go, fired up. You could tell it was just an amazing atmosphere.”

— Xander Zayas, Boxer (Uncrowned's "The Boys in the Back" show)

“Being a part of it and being able to go to a couple of events, I got to meet some great people — J Balvin, Ronald Acuña, Lady Gaga. I was actually surprised that most of these artists and big athletes knew who I was, [they] knew my name. Obviously, J Balvin — when I come up to him, he's like, 'Oh, you're the fighter, right?' It was insane. Ricky Martin did the same thing. Ricky Martin, when he met me, he was like, 'Man, you're Xander Zayas, man. That's amazing.' It was insane. Great experience. It was beautiful to be part of such a historic event, and I can't wait for what the future holds.”

— Xander Zayas, Boxer (Uncrowned's "The Boys in the Back" show)

What’s next

Zayas is now focused on unifying all four super welterweight world titles. He is targeting a fight with IBF champion Josh Kelly next, with the goal of facing WBC titlist Sebastian Fundora after that to become the undisputed champion at 154 pounds.

The takeaway

Xander Zayas' appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny has helped elevate the young boxer's profile and open doors to new opportunities, even as he continues to succeed in the ring as the youngest unified male world champion. This partnership demonstrates the power of crossover marketing deals to boost an athlete's popularity and reach beyond their core sport.