Ennis In Talks To Fight For Unified Championship

Talks are reportedly underway for Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) to face unified junior middleweight champion Xander Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs).

The primary driver for the Ennis-Zayas talk is the continued stalling of the Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. fight. A Nevada judge ruled in favor of Golden Boy, upholding a temporary restraining order (TRO) that prohibits Ortiz from signing third-party contracts—specifically blocking an offer from Ennis’ promoter, Matchroom Boxing, for an Ennis fight. That meant Ortiz cannot sign an Ennis fight unless Golden Boy agrees; his attempts to leave the promotion have failed due to his contractual obligations. With Ennis having moved on from the fight, Zayas is seen as an option.

Zayas became a unified champion by defeating Abass Baraou in a split-decision in San Juan, Puerto Rico, capturing the WBA and WBO Junior Middleweight Titles in January. Ennis currently holds the WBA Interim Title, making him the immediate mandatory challenger for Zayas’ WBA belt. We will see if a fight between the two unbeaten fighters comes together.