NEW YORK — Unified junior middleweight champion Xander Zayas isn’t paying attention to the betting odds. Despite entering Saturday night’s championship showdown as a significant underdog against former unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis, Zayas remains unwavering in his belief that he will leave Barclays Center with his WBA and WBO titles still around his waist.
During Thursday’s final press conference, the undefeated Puerto Rican champion welcomed the doubts surrounding him and warned his opponent not to overlook him.
Xander Zayas believes many people including Ennis expect Saturday night to be an easy assignment. He’s perfectly fine with that.
“I feel like he thinks it’s gonna be an easy night,” Zayas told DAZN’s Chris Mannix. “And let him think it. Saturday night, I will come out there, and I will do what I do at the highest level, like I always do. I will make the adjustments, like I always make ’em, and I will come out victorious. That’s all that matters to me.”
At just 23 years old, Zayas enters the biggest fight of his career with an undefeated record of 23-0 with 13 knockouts while continuing to establish himself as one of boxing’s brightest young champions.
Ennis Confident He’s on Another Level
While Zayas projects quiet confidence, challenger Jaron Ennis made it clear he expects to dominate. The former Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight champion is moving up to 154 pounds for the first world title opportunity of his junior middleweight campaign and enters the fight as a heavy betting favorite.
DraftKings has installed Ennis as a 5-to-1 favorite despite his limited experience in the division. Ennis dismissed the challenge awaiting him.
“He’s a solid fighter,” Ennis said. “He’s a champion for a reason, but it’s just levels. And I’m gonna show come Saturday night and show my skills and my ability. I cannot wait. I’m trying to tell y’all. I cannot wait.”
Team Ennis Predicts a Knockout
Confidence also runs throughout the Ennis camp. Trainer and father Derek “Bozy” Ennis praised Zayas while predicting his son will ultimately prove to be too much for the undefeated champion.
“I like Xander,” Bozy Ennis said. “I always liked Xander’s style. I like the way he boxes. I like the way he fights. Xander has a lot of heart. Anytime you’re taking a fight with Boots, and don’t care who he is, I respect him for that. Boots is on another level.” Both father and son expect the fight to end inside the distance.
Champion vs. Challenger
Although sportsbooks heavily favor Ennis, Zayas enters the bout as the reigning unified champion and currently sits above Ennis in The Ring’s junior middleweight rankings.
Known for his disciplined boxing, ring IQ and ability to make adjustments during fights, Zayas believes those traits will once again carry him through boxing’s toughest test.
For Ennis, Saturday represents an opportunity to become a two-division world champion while further strengthening his reputation as one of the sport’s elite pound-for-pound fighters.
The championship clash headlines one of the biggest boxing events of the summer at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Subscribers to DAZN’s Ultimate package can watch the event at no additional cost, while the card will also be available through DAZN Pay-Per-View for non-subscribers.
With two undefeated champions meeting in their physical primes, Saturday night’s showdown has all the ingredients to become one of the year’s defining fights—and both men are convinced they’ll leave New York with their hands raised.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
