Jaron “Boots” Ennis ultimately proved too powerful and ferocious for Xander Zayas on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, emerging victorious in a seven-round firefight that boxing fans will not soon forget.
Ennis, Uncrowned’s No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer, captured the WBA and WBO super welterweight titles with the star-making performance and became a two-division unified champion.
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Throughout the bout’s build-up, Zayas could not understand why the boxing world was so surprised he wanted to fight Ennis. The 23-year-old unified champion saw a fighter one round removed from the welterweight division — one he believed got hit too much.
But less than two minutes into Saturday’s unified title fight, Zayas realized exactly what the hype was all about.
Ennis (36-0, 32 KOs) hurt Zayas with a left hand with 75 seconds to go in Round 1. Zayas (23-1, 13 KOs) remained in the pocket with “Boots” and became a sitting duck for a lethal combination that floored the Puerto Rican.
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Many expected Ennis to win by stoppage and do so impressively — but no one thought it might come that quickly.
Zayas rose to his feet at the count of seven and tried to trade with Ennis, but the speed and power were too much for him to cope with, and Zayas was forced to hold in the closing seconds of the opener.
The now ex-unified champion decided to continue his bizarre strategy of holding his feet and punching with Ennis in Round 2. He ate more big shots from the Philadelphia fighter as a result, silencing the pro-Zayas crowd.
In the third, however, Zayas enjoyed his best round of the fight after Ennis was backed up by a right hand and noticeably rocked seconds later, with the Puerto Rican getting the better of some exchanges. Ennis, however, finished the Round of the Year contender well by wobbling Zayas with a short left hand on the inside.
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The fourth round was another filled with exciting back-and-forth action. Both men connected with huge power shots on the other throughout the three-minute session. Ennis was target practice for Zayas’ straight right hand, but Ennis enjoyed even more success with backhands down the middle and wide power hooks around the guard. You would’ve been forgiven for thinking jabs were banned in this frame.
A vicious short right uppercut early in the second half of Round 5 saw Zayas touch the canvas for the second time in the fight. Zayas absorbed an onslaught from Ennis after recovering to his feet. His legs were all over the place, and when that didn’t work, Ennis decided to hurt him to the body as well for good measure. But somehow, someway, Zayas stayed on his feet.
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In between rounds five and six, there was serious concern from the ringside doctor, the referee and Zayas’ corner about the damage he was taking, with referee Harvey Dock even warning Zayas that he may be forced to stop the fight if he saw more of what he witnessed in Round 5.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis (R) throws a punch at Xander Zayas (L) during their WBO and WBA world super welterweight title bout.
(Evan Bernstein via Getty Images)
The sixth, though, was a total anti-climax. It was clear that both men were fatigued, and thus, there was very little action in the frame, with both appearing to agree to take a round off.
In the seventh, Ennis welcomed a surge of energy, and it became clear that the fight was once again on borrowed time. “Boots” landed a combination of power shots on Zayas’ chin and then connected with a brutal body shot, which forced him to take a knee. Zayas’ corner decided that their man could live to fight another day.
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Ennis is represented by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, which also promotes IBF champion Josh Kelly, representing an available unification fight for him. The remaining super welterweight belt — the WBC title — is owned by Sebastian Fundora. A mega-fight between Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. also remains one of the sport’s most desired bouts.
Ennis has no shortage of options for his next dance partner. Whoever he does end up standing across the ring from, there’s little doubt that it will be must-see TV.
Check out complete Ennis vs. Zayas results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s play-by-play of the main card.
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Main card
WBA & WBO unified super welterweight title: Jaron “Boots” Ennis def. Xander Zayas via seventh-round TKO
Super lightweight: Emiliano Vargas def. Bryce Mills via fourth-round TKO | Watch video
Light heavyweight: Ben Whittaker def. Richard Rivera via second-round TKO | Watch video
Middleweight: Jahi Tucker def. Euri Cedeno via majority decision (95-95, 97-93, 98-92)
Prelims
Super flyweight: Juanma Lopez De Jesus def. Alberto Motos via first-round KO | Watch video
Super bantamweight: Dennis Thompson def. Edwin Rodriguez via split decision (79-73, 75-77, 77-75)
Welterweight: Quincey Williams def. Jerome Baxter via unanimous decision (79-73 ×3)
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
Into the second half of this fight. Ennis seems to have another surge of energy, and we are seeing the power shots again in the first minute of this seventh frame. Zayas appears to be hurt to the body. Right hook-left hand-right hook from Ennis. HUGE body shot and Zayas will take a knee. His corner stops it!
Jaron “Boots” Ennis by stoppage is a two-division unified world cahmpion.
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Darshan Desai
Zayas is on the back foot in the early stages of Round 6. Ennis may just be one attack away from a finish. Ennis is in control now. He is bullying Zayas around the ring, dominating behind the jab, and trying to set up some power shots. Ennis can’t risk letting Zayas recover, though. Heading into the final few seconds, Ennis hasn’t gone for the finish properly in this round. It appears he may be tired as well.
10-9 Ennis, 58-54 Ennis
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Darshan Desai
Strong left from Ennis on the inside. Will this round be slower than the two before it? Lead hook finds the target for Zayas. Ennis is targeting the mid-section. Two rights from Zayas, Hook from Boots. DOWN GOES ZAYAS AGAIN! It was a right uppercut from the southpaw stance from Ennis. Ennis is going for the finish. Big combination. Zayas is badly hurt! His legs are all over the place. Ennis with some massive power shots. Huge right hook. Zayas on the ropes. Body shots now. Zayas is hurt everywhere. Boots is putting the power punches together. 10 seconds to go. Left-hand, right hook from Ennis.
10-8 Ennis, 48-45 Ennis
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Darshan Desai
How hurt is Ennis coming into Round 4? Boots lands with a left early. They connect at the same time. They are trading on the inside. Big power shots are flying in from both men. Zayas with a right, Boots with a hook. Now, they’ll exchange up close. What a fight! Right connects for Zayas. Ennis is being hit too easily by Zayas, but now it’s Ennis that lands a huge shot, and more power shots are landing from the challenger. Zayas scores with another huge left. This is a WAR! Ennis down the middle with a right. One-two lands clean for the Puerto Rican. Another great round.
10-9 Zayas, 38-37 Ennis
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Darshan Desai
Left hook downstairs from Ennis is the best shot in an exchange. A right from Zayas. Ennis lands a left in response. Strong right from Zayas, and this time it was Ennis that backed up. The Puerto Rican crowd is celebrating. Zayas and Boots are trading big shots. Ennis is HURT! In the final minute of Round 3, Ennis is rocked and taking some big punches. WOW! Zayas is looking for more big shots. Ennis continues to trade with Zayas, and he lands big in the final seconds of Round 3. What a session of boxing!
10-9 Zayas, 29-27 Ennis
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Darshan Desai
Zayas is meeting Ennis head-on. They both landed in that exchange. Nice right hook from Ennis and a left-hand down the middle. Ennis is firing with power and speed. The New York crowd has been silenced. Overhand right just falls short for Ennis. Zayas connects with a right-hand. Ennis catches Zayas on the chin with a right hand. The difference in power is telling. Ennis isn’t bothered when Zayas lands, but every time Zayas gets hit, you can see the visible impact the shot has.
10-9, 20-17 Ennis
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Darshan Desai
12 rounds for the unified super welterweight championship. Let’s do this!
Ennis fights behind his sharp jab immediately. Right hand over the top. Boots is active with his left-hand. Zayas stabs downstairs. Ennis switches to southpaw. He aims a left hand at Zayas’ chin and misses, but the second one LANDS! Zayas is on the front foot, and Ennis catches him coming in. Zayas lands with a hook; Ennis responds with a combination. DOWN GOES XANDER ZAYAS! This is too easy for Jaron Ennis. Zayas was extremely confident going in, but Ennis is giving him a reality check.
10-8 Ennis
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
“I’ve seen a guy smiling all week that’s just turned up at the changing room and wrapped his own hands,” Eddie Hearn told DAZN. “All the tape – I’ve never seen anything like it. Crawford does the same thing, I know, but how chill have you got to be to sit there and pull that tape up and wrap your own hands individually?
“Special fighters do special things in special moments. This is a special moment, and this is exactly what Boots Ennis was born to do. If he is what I and many people believe he is, you are about to witness the future pound-for-pound No. 1 of the sport of boxing.”
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
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Darshan Desai
Xander Zayas defends his unified WBO and WBA super welterweight titles against the ex-unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) unified the WBO and WBA super welterweight world titles with a split decision victory over Abass Baraou in January.
Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs), Uncrowned’s No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer, moved up to 154 pounds this past October and captured the WBA interim title with a first-round stoppage of Uisma Lima in his divisional debut.
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Darshan Desai
HUGE left hand and down goes Mills in the opening minute of Round 4. Down for a second time. He is clearly hurt. Vargas is going for the finish. He puts together a barrage of shots, and the referee steps in. This one is OVER!
Read the full article here
