Jaron Ennis unified the WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles on Saturday night, stopping Xander Zayas in the seventh round at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The American boxer improved his professional record to 36-0 with 32 knockouts, handing Zayas the first loss of his career.
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Ennis Dominates Early
Ennis established control in the opening round, dropping Zayas with a straight left hand for the first knockdown of the fight.
Zayas responded in the third round, rocking Ennis with a flush right hand in a competitive exchange.
Ennis regained momentum in the fifth round, dropping Zayas again with a multi-punch combination.
The final sequence came in the seventh round when Ennis trapped Zayas against the ropes and initiated a third knockdown, prompting referee Harvey Dock to halt the contest at 1:49.
“I put on a show for the fans and I appreciated [Zayas] taking this, because he didn’t have to,” said Ennis.
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The victory places Ennis in a strong position in the 154-pound division after moving up from welterweight last year.
“I feel tremendous hearing ‘and the new unified world champion at 154,’” said Ennis.
Zayas, 23, entered the bout with a 23-0 record after becoming the youngest active world champion in boxing last summer.
He chose to take on the elite matchup directly rather than pursuing a gradual developmental path.
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“It’s part of the business,” said Zayas. “You live, you learn, you come back again.”
