Xander Zayas says legacy is the reason he is taking on Jaron “Boots” Ennis in one of the biggest fights of his young career. The unified 154lbs champion will face Ennis on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with both men unbeaten and the Puerto Rican star looking to make another major statement.
Zayas says he respects Ennis, but he does not see him as someone to fear. “He breathes the same oxygen I breathe. Bleeds the same way I bleed,” Zayas said. “I’m not afraid of anybody. The only man I’m scared of is the man upstairs. There’s no one else I fear.”
The 23-year-old believes his patience and ring maturity have improved since winning the WBO belt against Jorge Garcia Perez and the WBA belt against Abass Baraou. “I’ve got 12 rounds to work,” Zayas said. “I might have a bad round, but I can make the adjustments and have three great rounds.”
Zayas admits he has watched only limited full footage of Ennis, but he has studied enough to know where the openings may be. “He fights righty-lefty, takes good angles,” Zayas said. “But there’s lots of things I can take advantage of.”
A win over Ennis would likely put Zayas in the fighter-of-the-year conversation and bring him closer to his goal of becoming undisputed at 154lbs. “When I win this fight, that will be the goal,” Zayas said. “I’ve got great speed, great power, good defense. I know how to move. I know how to fight. I know how to counter. I don’t think he’s faced a fighter like that yet.”
Image Credit: Top Rank