Jaron Ennis became the unified WBA and WBO junior middleweight champion by stopping Xander Zayas in the seventh round on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Ennis improved to 36-0 with 32 knockouts after dropping Zayas three times before the corner stopped the bout.
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"My team was speed, speed, speed," said Ennis. "It's the shot you don't see, not the power shot.
He can tense up for the power shot.
I wasn't listening a little bit, but started listening a little bit towards the end, and that's how I got the job done."
Undisputed Ambitions and Ortiz Challenge
The champion expressed that his main priority remains collecting the remaining division titles but left the door open for Vergil Ortiz Jr.
"I'm here to be undisputed and break up these belts. But if we can't get these other guys and Vergil's available, let's make it happen," said Ennis.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn praised the fight's intensity, particularly a dramatic third round where Zayas rocked Ennis.
"That was one of the most exciting, thrilling fights I have ever seen ringside," said Hearn.
"Round three, one of the greatest rounds I've ever seen… That was an absolutely beautiful example for the sport of boxing."
Hearn noted that Ennis had previously agreed to fight Ortiz before a promotional dispute sidelined the challenger.
"We took that Vergil Ortiz fight. He signed for that fight.
