Global music superstar and recent Grammy award winner Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, more famously known by his stage name, Bad Bunny, performed during the Super Bowl LX halftime show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca, with a performance that celebrated and highlighted the rich cultural heritage of Latin American countries.
The performance, however, also contained a surprise nod to some of boxing's rising stars. The Puerto Rican icon shared the spotlight at Levi’s Stadium with a brief but impactful cameo of the sport's most promising talents in undefeated prospects Emiliano Vargas and Xander Zayas.
This high-profile crossover was immediately recognized throughout the boxing world, as it placed Vargas and Zayas before an audience of millions, sparking immediate reactions from the fighters themselves.
Here is a clip of the performance that exhibited both boxers shadowboxing while facing each other, as Bad Bunny made his way underneath their punches (via DAZN on X):
Both young boxers were stunned by the recognition and shared their reactions on social media.
Who is Emiliano Vargas?
Emiliano Vargas is a Mexican-American, undefeated, 21-year-old super lightweight prospect. He is also trained by his former world champion father, Fernando Vargas, and promoted by Top Rank.
Steve Marcus-GettyImages
His most recent victory came on Nov. 15, 2025, when he won a unanimous decision in a 10-round fight against Jonathan Montrel. This win was significant as it was his first scheduled 10-round bout and earned him the WBO Latino Junior Welterweight title.
He is scheduled to fight on Feb. 28 against Agustin Ezequiel Quintana for the North American Boxing Federation Junior Super Lightweight and WBO Latino Super Lightweight belt.
After the Super Bowl performance, he expressed his profound gratitude. He wrote in a post on X, “First athletes to EVER be part of the Super Bowl. GOD DID.”
Vargas also shared a photo through X of himself pictured alongside Bad Bunny and Zayas while celebrating his Mexican heritage:
Who is Xander Zayas?
Xander Zayas is a unified champion and one of boxing's brightest young stars, holding both the WBA and WBO super welterweight world titles at just 23 years old.
Al Bello-Getty Images
His most recent victory was a high-stakes unification bout, where he defeated Abass Baraou by split decision in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 31, to add the WBA title to his collection. This win improved his undefeated professional record to 23-0 and solidified his status as the youngest active unified champion in the sport.
According to Andreas Hale from ESPN, Zayas signed with Bad Bunny's talent agency Rimas Sports in September 2025.
Zayas shared a similar sentiment of pride and gratitude as his Top Rank stablemate. The super welterweight contender posted a video on X showing Bad Bunny signing the shorts he wore during the performance:
Bad Bunny and Boxing
The cameo appearance signals boxing's continued relevance in mainstream entertainment. It also provides a massive visibility boost for its next generation.
Bad Bunny, a known boxing enthusiast, has previously paid tribute to the sweet science through his music. In his song “NUEVAYoL,” which is featured in his Grammy-Award winning album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” the artist plays a recording of Felix Trinidad, a former professional boxer who competed in the ‘90s and 2000s.
Watch Bad Bunny’s official music video for the song here:
Pop culture historian Anthony Milian has a good explainer of Trinidad’s cameo on the album (via deffnotant on Instagram):
The placement of two Latino-American boxers during the Super Bowl immediately elevates the profiles of both Vargas and Zayas, and their upcoming fights now carry increased anticipation from a broader audience. This halftime moment has already become a pivotal point in their young careers.