Jaron “Boots” Ennis won the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles tonight in Brooklyn, stopping Xander Zayas in the seventh round of a hard-fought, highly-entertaining battle.
Zayas (23-1, 13 KO) found himself on the receiving end of Ennis’ outstanding offensive capabilities right from the opening bell, and also found himself on the canvas in the very opening round.
But despite a torrid start from Ennis (36-0, 32 KO), Zayas showed a tremendous amount of heart and toughness, weathering the storm successfully
enough to battle back in the third and fourth rounds and give himself some hope. He appeared to hurt Ennis, though he was still being forced to trade to give himself his best shot to actually win the fight.
The trading was never the best idea, and it came back to haunt Zayas when Ennis absolutely dominated the fifth round, scoring another knockdown and just brutalizing the defending titlist. The sixth round slowed the fight down a bit from both sides, but Ennis again went on the attack in the seventh, scoring another knockdown, at which point Zayas’ corner conceded defeat, and the fighter did not disagree with their call.
“I knew he would come forward, and we were ready for it,” Ennis said after the fight. “I just took my time, stayed patient, and listened to my corner.”
Ennis said that when he was hurt in the third round, he was “being lazy,” and that it’s something he needs to sharpen up, but that he wasn’t worried about it.
Ennis also credited Zayas’ toughness: “He’s a grown man. He’s durable. He’s a big guy. I knew he was going to be able to take some punches. … I had respect for him. He didn’t have to take this fight, he could have faced somebody else. But he wanted to test himself against one of the best, and I commend him on that.”
‘You come back and get better’
On his end, Zayas made no excuses, and said he was proud of his performance.
“It was an amazing night. I showed tonight that if you dream big, sometimes you come up short, but it’s part of the journey. Congratulations to Boots, he did what he needed to do, and he deserved the victory tonight,” he said in the ring after the fight.
“I’m happy with my performance. It was not what I was expecting, not what I trained for, but I knew I had one of the best in front of me. … He hurt me in the first round and my legs went away for a couple of rounds. … Then I hurt him, but he got me again. You learn and you come back and get better.”
Zayas said he would “take some time off” with his family, then “reset and see what’s next,” possibly with a move up to middleweight. “He won as the champion he is and I lost like the gentleman I am,” he said. “Respect to Boots, take over the 154 division. You deserve everything.”
Who will Boots Ennis fight next?
Ennis was asked who he wants next, and whether it might be more title belts, or some “unfinished business” with Vergil Ortiz Jr, who is reportedly nearing the end of his issues with Golden Boy Promotions.
“Give me Vergil, or bring on them belts, it doesn’t matter who it is,” he said. “I’m taking over this division. This weight division is mine.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn also chimed in, saying that IBF titleholder Josh Kelly will fight on July 25 but is in the mix for later, and that they have spoken with PBC about WBC titlist Sebastian Fundora, with an eye on Ennis going undisputed at 154.
