Unified champion says he holds the edge in every category and predicts Xander Zayas will find out on fight night
Jaron “Boots” Ennis says Xander Zayas does not do a single thing better than he does ahead of Saturday night’s unified junior middleweight title fight. The unbeaten champion insists he is superior in every department and expects to prove it when they meet in Brooklyn, live on DAZN PPV.
“No. I mean, I said before, he’s a solid fighter. He got good fundamentals and that’s it. He’s a solid fighter. He’s a world champion for a reason. But he can’t do nothing better than me. He can’t jab better than me. He can’t hook better than me. He’s not slicker than me. He’s not faster than me. He’s not stronger than me. None of that. I’m better than him at every category. And he gonna see on fight night. We gonna see on fight night, and you’re gonna see firsthand that I’m just different,” said Boots to Matchroom Boxing, talking about Xander.
Ennis believes the unbeaten 23-year-old has improved but says Zayas still has lessons to learn.
“He developing a little bit more,” said Ennis. “Yeah, he’s getting better. But he’s young. That’s why he talk the way he talk. I don’t know if he have any fear, but the way he acting like he have no fear, but he should.”
Ennis said he prepared for every style during training camp, bringing in sparring partners ranging from junior middleweights to light heavyweights so he would be ready regardless of how Zayas approaches the fight.
The Philadelphia native also revealed he remained at welterweight only long enough to collect world titles before moving to 154 pounds. After negotiations for a fight against Vergil Ortiz Jr. failed to produce a deal, Ennis said he personally called promoter Eddie Hearn and asked him to make the fight with Zayas.
