It’s always a monumental occasion when two undefeated champions collide.
With a combined record of 58 wins, 44 KOs and 0 losses, the fight between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Xander Zayas carries all the ingredients of a career-defining spectacle. In late March, after a publicised breakdown in talks surrounding a potential Ennis–Vergil Ortiz Jr showdown, Matchroom needed to secure a new opponent for their rising star and the ambitious Xander Zayas fit the bill. Eddie Hearn was delighted at the matchup, praising Zayas as a special talent and commending him for stepping in on short notice and taking a significant risk. This is a clash between a surging contender in Zayas and a widely regarded future pound-for-pound star in Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Boots is a phenom from Philly, the former welterweight standout now seeking further glory at a higher weight class. He wasted no time making a statement at 154 pounds, debuting against Uisma Lima last October in emphatic fashion. A first-round stoppage, following a switch-hitting masterclass from Boots, overwhelmed and dismantled Lima, instantly reinforcing his status in the super-welterweight division. That performance immediately put him on the radar of then WBA champion Abass Baraou, who was eyeing a clash with Boots for the title, before ultimately losing out to the surging Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas, who went on to become the youngest active unified champion. At 23 years old, many have been surprised that Zayas has chosen to take on Ennis at this stage, facing a fighter widely considered to still be entering his prime against a rising star with an undefeated record.
Speaking to DAZN, Zayas said he “wants to be great, and to be great, you have to fight the best,” confident he has identified chinks in Ennis’ armour. “Whatever he thinks he does well, I do better,” stated Ennis, speaking to ESPN. Despite the fight being a perfect record against perfect record, Ennis brings the more experienced resume, with more fights and a striking knockout record (36 fights, 35 wins, 31 knockouts). Ennis views himself as faster, stronger, slicker and, ultimately, the superior fighter. While some have questioned his resume, the reality is—right now—he is a fighter many are reluctant to face. His aggressive style, smooth evasive countering and imposing frame for the welterweight division all present serious problems for opponents.
Ennis has pursued major fights against the likes of Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney, and was previously linked to a potential super-fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr—underlining his intent, alongside Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, to secure the biggest bouts in the sport. Still, a marquee fight requires both sides, and a matchup with Top Rank’s rising star delivers a clear promotional fit.
Speaking in the middle of training, Complex UK caught up with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to discuss his boxing genesis, his slick in-ring style, Saturday’s clash with Xander Zayas at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and more.
COMPLEX: This fight on June 27 comes after a stream of talks regarding your superfight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. that frustratingly didn’t come to fruition. How do you feel about that situation?
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis: Of course, I wanted that fight really bad. I waited as long as I could, and I wasn’t going to keep waiting. The next thing you know, it could’ve been the end of the year and I still wouldn’t have fought. So we went with the next best option, which was Xander Zayas.
Watching your first press conference, I got the impression you were trying to read him. What’s your current assessment of Xander Zayas?
I usually don’t watch tape on my opponents, but with these last few fights I’ve had to because I didn’t really know much about these guys. With Lima, I didn’t know too much about him. Then with Xander, I didn’t know much about him until he got into title contention. I watched a couple of his recent fights and saw a few things I definitely know I can exploit.
At the press conference, Eddie Hearn said he’s still in shock that Xander accepted this fight. Have you reached the point where you’ve stopped being a contender and become the guy everyone’s quietly avoiding?
I feel like I’ve always been that guy since I stepped into professional boxing. But after making my mark, becoming a world champion and then a unified champion, I definitely became that guy.
Has that avoidance changed you in any way? Is it frustrating, or does it just fuel you to keep doing your thing?
It’s definitely frustrating at times, but more than anything, it’s fuel for the furnace because whoever’s next, I’ll take it out on them.
When was the first point in your life that you realised boxing was the path for you?
I knew I was going to be a boxer probably from the age of 11 or 12. I’d been around sports since I was little, but I knew this was what I really wanted to do. I saw my brothers, Derek ‘Pooh’ Ennis and Farah Ennis, fighting on TV back in Philly. Growing up, I wanted to be just like them. Now we’re here.
You fight with a calm dominance—where do you think that mentality comes from?
I think that’s just who I am. It’s my whole demeanour, my whole aura. I have confidence in everything I do because I know what I’m capable of. I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it.
Eddie Hearn loves to wax lyrical about your ability, and it feels like your style and demeanour go hand-in-hand with Matchroom Boxing. It’s a great marriage between fighter and promoter. Is there anything you’ve picked up from Matchroom about the business side of boxing?
Being with Matchroom has been a blessing, and I’m learning a lot. I’ve got my own promotional company now, so there are a lot of different things we’re picking up through the business we do together. I’m glad to be part of this partnership. It’s definitely helping us skyrocket.
Since you’re both an active boxer and have your own promotional company, what do you think boxing is getting right at the moment, both inside the ring and on the business side?
I think boxing is in a great place right now. I feel like everybody’s starting to fight everybody, and that’s exactly what I want. It feels a bit old-school again, with fighters willing to face each other if it makes sense. I think that means we’re going to see a lot more big fights in the near future.
On The Art of Ward podcast, Andre Ward questioned whether that defining test in your career is still to come, given how dominant you’ve been so far. Are you expecting a truly testing fight in the near future?
I don’t know. We’ll see. I feel like when I’m locked in and on point, I can have my way with anybody. I’m the best in the world. They’re going to see that.
With that in mind, what are your plans for the future? Who do you want to fight?
I’m here to take over this game. I’ve said it before: bring the big names! We’re going to handle business on June 27, and after that, we’re looking to become undisputed. We’re going to knock them down, one by one.
