Trainer Stephen Edwards doesn’t believe Top Rank will risk their fighter Xander Zayas to defend his WBO junior middleweight title against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Edwards argues that even though Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) is technically a world champion at 154, he’s still only 23 compared to the 28-year-old ‘Boots’ Ennis. He doesn’t have the experience for that kind of fight.
Top Rank Playing It Safe With Zayas
Top Rank hasn’t revealed what its long-term goal is for Xander. They’re probably going to protect him for his entire career, and try to keep him on top as long as possible until Turki Alalshikh offers some crazy money for Zayes to fight someone good.
“You wouldn’t risk Zayas against Ennis. ‘Boots’ would be a mius 5, minus 600 favorite to beat Zayas right now,” said Stephen Edwards to MillCity Boxing about it not being a good idea for Top Rank to allow their fighter, Xander Zayas, to face Jaron Ennis.
Ennis vs. Zayas Would Be a Massacre
On paper, it would be a massacre for Xander to fight ‘Boots’ now or anytime in the future. They’re two different types of fighters. Talent-wise, Zayas is like a fringe contender that has been maneuvered into capturing the vacant WBO 154-lb belt. He’s a champion in name only.
A Manufactured Champion?
If he had to fight someone like Ennis or any of the belt-holders or top contenders, he’d likely be in over his head. I view Xander as a classic example of creation for marketing purposes. He’ll be okay as long as he doesn’t fight anyone with ability.
“You don’t put a young kid in a fight like that against a guy that good. Top Rank has the best matchmakers in the business. They’ve been around too long not to know that ‘Boots’ is a level above Zayas. They’re not stupid,” said Stephen.
Turki Money Could Change Everything
It’s doubtful that Top Rank would ever make a fight between Zayas and ‘Boots’ Ennis without Turki Alalshikh getting involved to offer crazy money like we saw with the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight last month on September 11th.
Top Rank wants to build Xander into a star on the East Coast and turn him into a money-maker. To do that, they have to keep him away from fighters like Ennis, Fundora, Abass Baraou, Vergil Ortiz Jr., Bakhram Murtazaliev, and Erickson Lubin. Zayas would likely lose to all of them.
“Bakhram would be the toughest fight in terms of danger. He’s the biggest hitter and has the most one-shot power out of the four champions, nd he has the good counter-punching,” said Edwards about his belief that Bakhram Murtazaliev would be a formidable foe for Ennis.
Promoter Eddie Hearn didn’t sound like he wanted IBF junior middleweight champion Murtazaliev next for Ennis following his first-round knockout win over Uisma Lima last Saturday. Hearn was talking about wanting WBC interim champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. in early 2026. If not him, Sebastian Fundora.
By Sean Jones — Senior Boxing Writer, Covering the Sport Since 2016.
Last Updated on 10/16/2025
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