Xander Zayas’ stay at junior middleweight could be coming to an end regardless of what happens Saturday night against Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
Veteran boxing insider Rick Glaser reported Friday that the unbeaten Puerto Rican has already decided to move up to the middleweight division after making the first defense of his unified WBO and WBA 154-pound titles at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
“From a very reliable source, this will be Xander Zayas last fight at 154, no matter the result Saturday night vs Boots Ennis,” Glaser posted on X. “Xander is on his way to 160 & the Middleweight division. This decision was made a while ago.”
If accurate, the move would bring a quick end to Zayas’ championship run at 154. The 23-year-old captured the vacant WBO title earlier this year 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 toughest test of his career against the unbeaten Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs), who moved up after establishing himself as one of boxing’s premier welterweights. The bout headlines DAZN Pay-Per-View from Barclays Center and will 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 decision has already been made behind the scenes and does not depend on Saturday’s result.
Zayas’ immediate focus remains on Ennis. But if Glaser’s information proves correct, Saturday night’s fight will mark the final chapter of his career in the 154-pound division before beginning a new campaign at middleweight.
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Last Updated on 2026/06/26 at 2:22 AM
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