BROOKLYN, NY — Xander Zayas smiles, represents Puerto Rico as a unified junior middleweight champion, challenges for his WBA and WBO titles and seeks the best opportunity. He asked for the big fights as the second youngest champion in boxing and he has the challenge at 23-0 (13 KOs).
Because Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) is the biggest challenge. Zayas has never lost focus on what awaits Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a championship defense and anticipated fight available on DAZN PPV and Ultimate Tier.
Instead Zayas is more focused with potential to become a top pound-for-pound champion.
And Ennis also has that opportunity to be among the elite. Though many including Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn have stated often their former welterweight champion is elite and a superstar that boxing needs.
Eddie Hearn has all the confidence in the world in Jaron “Boots” Ennis Saturday night as the 28-year-old goes up against Xander Zayas at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn – Image Credit: Cris Esqueda/Matchroom Boxing
Regardless this is significant for both fighters. The Barclays Center will be electric and sold out Saturday with Zayas fans from Puerto Rico and New York while Ennis from Philadelphia has his contingent traveling up the Jersey Turnpike to root for their latest prodigy. In their eyes, adding to Hall of Fame champion names from the City of Brotherly Love.
Perhaps the 23-year-old Zayas has a challenge too early in his brief reign as a unified junior middleweight champion. He is proud of his heritage, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and resides in South Florida. Though he has that power, speed, footwork excellence that can present the perfect challenge for Ennis who is determined.
With a record of 23-0 at 23 years old, Xander Zayas has become the face of Puerto Rican boxing alongside Amanda Serrano – Image Credit: Cris Esqueda/Matchroom Boxing
Ennis is the prominent favorite after vacating the IBF and WBA welterweight titles and moving up another division. He was eyeing Vergil Ortiz Jr., the WBC interim champion, but that mega fight didn’t materialize.
So here came Zayas and the fight was official. No hype, this type of fight hardly needs one. It’s a matter of who will outlast the other. Zayas with that hand speed, closing the distance, will apply pressure that got him slowly to the top of his quest with loyalty to Top Rank Boxing and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.
Xander Zayas, moving up the ranks each time he steps in the ring, has stuck with Bob Arum and Top Rank Boxing from the very beginning – Image Credit: Top Rank Boxing
Ennis will anticipate a physical fight that could enable him to be careless, then again a fighter of his magnitude knows how to adjust. Ennis has the experience to take a hit and deliver a punch that Zayas will try and defend.
But one thing alone is the question: has Zayas taken on too much at his age and early title reign? Similarities back then when a young Canelo Alvarez challenged Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and lost in quest for a title. Then a learning experience for Alvarez, who went on to have a Hall of Fame career, becoming the first undisputed Super Middleweight champion in the four-belt title era. A Mexican icon in the ring.
Xander Zayas and Jaron Ennis facing off at the Barclays Center this past Thursday during the final press conference ahead of Fight Night – Image Credit: Cris Esqueda/Matchroom Boxing
If Zayas could pull it off, he is in good company with predecessors of champions. A loss won’t hurt his career and continued title aspirations. The only setback would be an unfortunate injury. Zayas though conditions well and is cautious about the obvious opponents he has faced. On the other hand, Ennis is his biggest challenge with the opportunity there to become an instant face of the sport.
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“I feel amazing,” said a focused Zayas during the final press conference in Brooklyn at the ceremonial weigh-in, later having an intense staredown with Ennis.
“I’m happy, I’m having fun, and tomorrow you’ll hear ‘and still.’ That’s all that matters. I will show why the 23-year-old is the unified champion. There’s a reason for it. I’m going to put on the best show of my life.”
He never discusses strategy, it’s been his personal way of doing business in the ring. Leading into fight night, it was about his calm demeanor—thanking his fans in Puerto Rico and New York City where he won the WBO title last July by defeating Jorge Garcia via split decision at Madison Square Garden, a venue that has been his second home. He won the WBA title this past January on a split-decision homecoming victory over Abass Baraou in San Juan.
He wants to build a legacy, mentioned with names of former champions from Puerto Rico. Mention Félix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto. And now it’s Xander Zayas who wants to continue and build a legacy, a division that also has Sebastian Fundora, a dominant Mexican-American who holds the WBC title, also an opponent that was on his radar.
Ennis is no slouch, like Zayas young, determined, and rapidly moved up the ladder as a welterweight. Big fights for Ennis, he wants that too and is always advocating Hearn to consummate a fight with top ten fighters.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) will have fans traveling from Philadelphia up the Jersey Turnpike Saturday night for his main event bout against Xander Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) – Image Credit: Cris Esqueda/Matchroom Boxing
“I’m going to put on a beautiful show and tomorrow, you’re going to hear the words ‘and the new,’” said Ennis, declaring there will be a knockout. “It’s going to come if I do my thing.”
The 28-year-old Ennis tends to drop his opponents. In his most recent bout last October, Uisma Lima could not get out of the first round. Ennis is a hard puncher and goes to the body. Zayas, too, knows how to counter and with 23 undefeated fights under his belt has gone the distance in his last two fights. He has a slight height advantage too.
So this fight does have potential, two of the top young stars boxing has to offer. But Ennis has that tendency of throwing a late punch to the body, so Zayas needs to be defensive and realize that power can come in the late rounds.
But Zayas likes to work his opponent, except this won’t be easy with Ennis. Regardless of it all, this was a fight Hearn and Top Rank were able to arrange and easier to deliver as both aligned with DAZN.
Too bad boxing is no longer a mainstream sport. Headline fights like this deserve more attention as it was in an era with Hagler, Hearns, Leonard and Durán, a time when boxing was the king.
I see this fight going the distance and to the judges scorecards. Look for Ennis to be the unified champion via a 12-round split decision.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X:@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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