Unified junior middleweight champion Xander Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) is set to defend his WBA and WBO titles against Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs and 1 No Contest) on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, as confirmed by ESPN on Monday.
The bout will be broadcast live and exclusively on DAZN PPV, produced by Matchroom Boxing in collaboration with Top Rank. Recently, Top Rank entered into a multi-year, multi-fight broadcasting agreement with DAZN.
Ennis was in talks for a highly anticipated matchup with Vergil Ortiz Jr. However, Ortiz Jr.’s manager, Rick Mirigian, expressed dissatisfaction with the purse proposed for his fighter, leading to a widely reported dispute with his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions. Ortiz subsequently filed a lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, seeking his release, and aimed to arrange the fight with Ennis independently of his promoter. In response, Golden Boy Promotions obtained a temporary restraining order against Ortiz, which barred him from negotiating with any third party, leaving his future uncertain.
Seeking alternatives for Ennis, Matchroom Boxing found that with Top Rank’s new broadcasting agreement with DAZN, negotiating a fight with Ortiz became significantly more feasible, as both promoters would operate under the same network.
“What a fight!” remarked Ennis’ promoter and Matchroom Chairman, Eddie Hearn, in a statement. “I am excited to facilitate this matchup for Jaron — this is precisely the type of event that brings out the best in a future pound-for-pound #1. Boots performed exceptionally against Stanionis in Atlantic City during his first unification bout, and I anticipate he will shine in Brooklyn on June 27.
“However, Xander is an exceptional fighter in his own right, and he deserves recognition for wanting to compete against the very best — Brooklyn is set for an extraordinary fight this summer, and I am eagerly counting down the days.”
Ennis, 28, made his debut at 154 pounds last October, achieving a first-round stoppage of Uisma Lima. The Philadelphia native was previously a unified welterweight champion and now aims to secure a title in a second weight class.
“It’s time to step up and collect these belts!” declared Ennis. “Taking them down one by one! #AndTheNew.”
Puerto Rico’s Zayas, 23, claimed the vacant WBO title last July by defeating Jorge Garcia Perez and added the WBA title with a unanimous decision victory over Abass Baraou in January. A week after his win against Baraou, Zayas made a brief appearance during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show. Zayas is represented by Bad Bunny’s sports agency, Rimas Sports.
“Long before I became a world champion, I always sought to confront the greatest challenges in my division,” Zayas stated. “I have never avoided a fight and have consistently been willing to test my abilities against anyone. Now, as the unified champion, I am prepared to defend my world titles against one of the sport’s most prominent figures. I have always had faith in myself, and on June 27, I will continue to demonstrate what is achievable when you dare to be great!”
