Xander Zayas’ stay at junior middleweight might be coming to an end no matter what happens Saturday night against Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
Veteran boxing insider Rick Glaser reported Friday that the unbeaten Puerto Rican has already decided to maneuver as much as the middleweight division after making the primary defense of his unified WBO and WBA 154-pound titles at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
“From a really reliable source, this shall be Xander Zayas last fight at 154, irrespective of the result Saturday night vs Boots Ennis,” Glaser posted on X. “Xander is on his strategy to 160 & the Middleweight division. This decision was made some time ago.”
If accurate, the move would bring a fast end to Zayas’ championship run at 154. The 23-year-old captured the vacant WBO title earlier this 12 months before adding the WBA belt, but his future has long been expected to be at middleweight as he continues to fill out physically.
Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) now faces the hardest test of his profession against the unbeaten Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs), who moved up after establishing himself as one among boxing’s premier welterweights. The bout headlines DAZN Pay-Per-View from Barclays Center and can determine who leaves Brooklyn with two world titles.
A move to 160 would give Zayas a fresh set of challenges after years of campaigning at junior middleweight. While no opponent has been named for his middleweight debut, Glaser’s report suggests the choice has already been made behind the scenes and doesn’t depend upon Saturday’s result.
Zayas’ immediate focus stays on Ennis. But when Glaser’s information proves correct, Saturday night’s fight will mark the ultimate chapter of his profession within the 154-pound division before starting a brand new campaign at middleweight.
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Last Updated on 2026/06/26 at 2:22 AM