Jaron “Boots” Ennis will have to trim his beard before challenging Xander Zayas on Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The issue came up during Friday’s official weigh-in, when Zayas’ team raised concerns over the length of Ennis’ beard. Ennis initially declined the request, but the New York State Athletic Commission later ruled that the beard must be shortened before the fight.
“There was a request by Xander Zayas’ team that Boots trim his beard going into this fight on Saturday night,” DAZN commentator Chris Mannix said during the weigh-in broadcast.
Mannix added that Ennis’ father and trainer, Bozy Ennis, dismissed the situation as minor. According to Bozy, only a small amount will be trimmed and it will not affect the fight.
Ennis is set to challenge Zayas for the WBA and WBO junior middleweight titles in the main event of a DAZN pay-per-view card.
The beard debate added a small piece of weigh-in drama, but both sides remain focused on the real issue: two unbeaten fighters meeting for two world titles at 154lbs.