Jaron “Boots” Ennis survived the toughest test of his professional career on Saturday night, stopping previously unbeaten Xander Zayas in the seventh round to capture the WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles in a thrilling bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The victory made Ennis a two-division world champion, improving his record to 36-0 with 32 knockouts, while Zayas suffered his first defeat, falling to 23-1.
Ennis drops Zayas three times before stoppage
Ennis seized control early, dropping Zayas with a straight left in the first round. He continued to dominate in the second, switching stances and landing clean shots. However, Zayas roared back in the third, rocking Ennis with a flush right hand that forced the Philadelphia native to clinch. The round featured furious exchanges from both fighters, with the crowd on its feet.
After a competitive fourth round, Ennis regained momentum in the fifth by dropping Zayas with a right uppercut. Zayas barely beat the count but survived the round. Ennis closed the show in the seventh, trapping Zayas against the ropes and landing a series of power punches that sent him to a knee for the third knockdown. Referee Harvey Dock halted the bout at 1:49 of the round as Zayas's corner threw in the towel.
Ennis credits patience, calls for Vergil Ortiz Jr.
“I put on a show for the fans and I appreciated [Zayas] taking this, because he didn’t have to,” said Ennis, who turned 29 on Friday. “I feel tremendous hearing ‘and the new unified world champion at 154’.” Ennis added that he knew Zayas would come forward and that he stayed patient and listened to his corner.
With two of the major titles at 154 pounds, Ennis now looks toward a potential showdown with fellow unbeaten Vergil Ortiz Jr. “Give me Vergil, or bring on them belts, it doesn’t matter who it is,” Ennis said. “I’m taking over this division. This weight division is mine.”
Zayas vows to learn from defeat
Zayas, 23, had entered the fight as boxing’s youngest active world champion and was seen as Puerto Rico’s next boxing star. After the bout, he was transported to a local hospital for precautionary evaluation and did not attend the post-fight news conference. “It’s part of the business,” Zayas said. “You live, you learn, you come back again. … 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.”
Fight delivers on promise of instant classic
The bout, billed as one of the year’s most compelling matchups, lived up to expectations. Ennis, who had long been regarded as one of boxing’s brightest talents but lacked a signature win, finally secured the marquee victory that had eluded him. Zayas, meanwhile, faced the toughest challenge of his career and showed resilience despite the loss. “He’s a grown man,” Ennis said of Zayas. “He’s durable. He’s a big guy. … He wanted to test himself against one of the best, and I commend him on that.”
