Jaron Ennis is giving up his WBA interim junior middleweight title before ever defending it, choosing instead to reposition himself for a much bigger fight against unified champion Xander Zayas on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The move, first reported by Lance Pugmire, allows Ennis to become the WBO’s #1 contender and mandatory challenger. That changes the June 27 fight from a normal title defense into a full unification bout for Zayas’ WBA and WBO belts at 154 pounds.
The maneuver is unusual because fighters normally hold onto interim belts as protection while pursuing bigger opportunities. Ennis is doing the opposite. By dropping the WBA interim title, he gains stronger positioning within the WBO and upgrades the commercial value of the Zayas fight at the same time.
Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) moved up to junior middleweight after becoming one of the top names at welterweight. The Philadelphia native has been searching for a defining fight since changing divisions, and Zayas now gives him a direct route into the center of the 154-pound division.
Ennis is essentially giving up an accessory belt for a cleaner promotional angle because interim titles carry little importance once established stars enter unification fights.
Zayas (23-0, 14 KOs), 23, has quickly become one of boxing’s youngest two-belt champions. A victory over Ennis would immediately strengthen his standing in a division packed with established contenders and younger fighters trying to take control after the recent movement at the top of the weight class.
The fight is expected to headline a DAZN pay-per-view card in Brooklyn.
BoxingScene has learned @JaronEnnis is relinquishing his WBA interim 154lbs belt in order to be ranked No. 1 and mandatory @WorldBoxingOrg contender to ensure his June 27 bout vs. @XanderZayas is a unification for both belts.
— Lance Pugmire (@pugboxing) May 13, 2026
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last Updated on 2026/05/13 at 7:36 PM
Read the full article here