Boxing
All roads lead to the Xander Zayas-Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis winner to face this boxing star
Zayas vs. Ennis: Watch only on DAZN PPV - Saturday
In Xander Zayas, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has a young lion of a unified super welterweight world champion, who he can snatch two titles from and make the crowning achievement on his glistening resume.
However, ‘Boots’ defeating Zayas this weekend at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and live on DAZN PPV, is just part of a grander plan that’s being plotted out by Matchroom Boxing Chairman Eddie Hearn.
Sparks fly as Zayas and Ennis meet
Relive DAZN FACE OFF here
While Zayas’ WBA and WBO titles account for half the hardware in the 154-pound division, the other two titles are spoken for by Sebastian Fundora and Josh Kelly. What makes this apple cart all the more enticing is that Hearn promotes both Ennis and Kelly, the IBF titleholder, spelling the possibility of some chess moves toward a checkmate.
“I think Fundora should fight Josh Kelly, and you got Ennis against Zayas — the winner fights the winner for the undisputed,” Hearn exclusively told DAZN News earlier into the buildup toward Saturday night. “We’re already talking to PBC about that fight for Josh Kelly. Let’s make champions v. champions. That’s what we want.”
Already, Ennis believes any perceivable collision course must end with him.
"I feel like everybody gotta come through me regardless," Ennis told DAZN News during the buildup to the fight. "I’m the cash cow of this division. if anybody wants to fight, they’re going to make the most money fighting me than anybody else."
Consensus would have the aforementioned collision course whittling down as a final clash between Ennis and Fundora, though Zayas intends to disrupt that projection in proving he’s the man to beat at 154.
“There’s another two champions, so not all roads lead to Fundora,” Zayas touted to DAZN News. “After I win, I’ll go whatever route I want because as a champion, I can go whatever route I want.”
As complex a sweet science puzzle that Ennis presents, Fundora arguably could be even more of a knotty problem to deal with. ‘The Towering Inferno’ throws unique dimensions at opponents in the form of standing 6’5½” with 80 inches of reach from a southpaw stance. Since losing to Brian Mendoza in April 2023 via his only defeat, Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs) has tendered four straight victories, including a punishing sixth-round TKO of Keith Thurman this past March.
Ennis is solely focused on Zayas, but he conceded that he’ll be ready for Fundora if and when the opportunity presents itself.
“He’s just tall,” Ennis offered. “When the time comes, I’ll watch him. From the little stuff that I be seeing, it looks like he’s just a tall, pressure fighter.”
His father and trainer, Bozy Ennis, has Fundora a bit more scouted.
“He’s difficult, man,” the elder Ennis said. “He’s difficult … Boots knows what to do.”
As dynamic a fight as Zayas-Ennis figures to be, Fundora-Kelly can thrill too. As the blueprint unfurls, the bigger picture is the first men’s undisputed super welterweight world champion being crowned.
“Everybody wants to win a world championship belt, everybody wants to unify, everybody wants to become undisputed,” Hearn rattled off. “There’s a real straightforward route there to make that happen.”
‘Boots’ are on the ground to turn that premise into a reality.
How will the super welterweight collision course end?
Analysis: DAZN News' Mark Lelinwalla
I think Xander Zayas vs. Jaron 'Boots' Ennis will be a closer fight than people expect. I slightly lean toward Ennis due to his ring savvy and boxing ability. If he were to meet Sebastian Fundora for the division's undisputed crown, the slick Philadelphia fighter would be hard-pressed to get inside of 'The Towering Inferno's' reach. But it can be done, especially on the feet, where 'Boots' has the subtle movements and shifts to chop Fundora down toward boxing's utmost glory.
Zayas vs. Ennis - watch only on DAZN
Xander Zayas defends his WBO and WBA super welterweight titles against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis on Saturday, June 27, exclusively live on DAZN. Buy as a one-off PPV or included, along with Joshua vs. Prenga (July 25) and Canelo vs. M'billi (Sept 12) PPVs, with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
