From afar, they have been circling each other like two young hawks zeroing in for an attack. On Saturday, June 27, WBA and WBO 154-pound world champion Xander Zayas and former unified IBF/WBA welterweight world champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis will get their wish when they fight for Zayas’ super welterweight world titles at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, live on DAZN.

At age 23, Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) is the youngest 154-pound world champion in boxing, unifying his championships by winning the vacant WBO title with a unanimous decision over Jorge Garcia Perez in July 2025, and taking the WBA belt with a split decision over former titleholder Abass Baraou in late January. At age 28, Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) has been touted the past few years as the next great star in boxing, making his 154-pound debut with an easy first-round stoppage of Uisma Lima in October.

In an Uncrowned exclusive, both fighters and their trainers spoke about the impending matchup.

Ennis was supposed to fight 154-pound contender Vergil Ortiz, but that fight was stopped when Ortiz’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, obtained a restraining order to halt the bout from happening without their involvement.

“I’m not sure if [Zayas] poses any real problems for me,” Ennis tells Uncrowned.

“He’s a good fighter. I respect him. I feel great going into this fight. I’m about to extend my legacy in the boxing game as a two-time unified weight-division champion. What I know about him is I watched him a few times — he’s a solid fighter. He does nothing that concerns me. A big deal is fighting at 154 pounds, I still feel my best is yet to come. I had a lot of energy during fight week in my last fight. I like Xander, I respect him. But I’m someone he’s never faced before.”

Ennis had been tormenting himself to make 147 pounds over the previous two years. He says he was fighting at around 80% of his full capacity trying to make 147, and it simply became too taxing on his body. No one on Ennis’ team felt like they were getting the real version of him since 2023. The move to 154 pounds had to be made.

“I feel better, and going to 154 was the best thing for me,” Ennis says. “Every time someone says my next opponent is supposed to be my toughest test, I always rise to the challenge and make it look easy. It’s what I plan on doing June 27. I’m already working in camp. You know I live in the gym, so we’ll work on a fight plan.

“I give [Zayas] credit though — he was willing to step up when everyone else [at 154] wasn’t. I see this a great opportunity to show the world who I am and what I can do.”

Zayas, on the other hand, feels Ennis may be overlooking him.

“He can think anyway he wants. I know I can give ‘Boots’ a problem,” Zayas says. “He’s never been in the ring with someone like me. If I get the chance, I’ll rip out his heart. He’s going to feel uncomfortable, and I’m going to put him there. He won because he’s bullied guys, beating guys he was bigger than and more athletic than. Let him face me. I’m someone who is as big as he is, just as athletic as he is, and probably stronger than he is, because I’m a natural 154-pounder. I’m as athletic and will be as composed and as smart in the ring as he is.

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“Some of these fans do not understand the game and the work ethic and the business. I am very athletic, and when you have the work ethic, with athleticism, it shows you belong. ‘Boots’ has shown he belongs among the best. It will be a competitive fight, but I can do a lot more things in the ring than he can. Go down the list at 154 — I have something over all of them. I’m a two-time world champion and I am 23 years old. I’m comfortable making 154. I have been very professional my whole career and very happy that I am the youngest and most accomplished in the whole division. I want two more fights this year. I’m not the hunted — the way I see it, I’m still hunting. [WBC champion Sebastian] Fundora and [IBF champion Josh] Kelly have the two belts I want. Facing [Ennis] is a big test for me, on the way to bigger things.”

Ennis is listed at 5-foot-10, though may be 5-foot-11, with a 74-inch reach and fights from an orthodox stance. However what makes him dangerous, other than his hand speed and superior ring IQ, is he can — and has — switched to southpaw during fights. Zayas is also listed at 5-foot-10, though may be closer to 6-foot, also has a 74-inch reach. Zayas has stopped one of his past five opponents, while Ennis has stopped three of his past four opponents. Ennis handed previously undefeated Eimantas Stanionis his first loss, by sixth-round knockout, though may not have faced anyone as good as Zayas.

I’m not sure if [Zayas] poses any real problems for me. He’s a good fighter, I respect him. [But] he does nothing that concerns me.Jaron "Boots" Ennis

Ennis, however, does get away with mistakes against fighters who do not have his hand speed and athleticism. Ennis is a slightly better athlete, but Zayas may be bigger, may have better footwork and has sound ring IQ. Zayas will need to box and move, and his legs will be the key, attacking on angles. He has a habit of backing straight up. Zayas is very good punching while moving. Ennis is a boxer-puncher, and his lapses come in concentration out of boredom. He’s never had his chin tested.

These are two young fighters still in search of their signature victories.

“No one else wanted to fight us, and I knew form the beginning Ortiz did not want to fight,” says Bozy Ennis, ‘Boot’s’ father and trainer. “Xander is a tough kid, he’s OK. This will be a good fight and I give Xander credit for the balls to step into the ring. I do like him as a fighter. There is no doubt ‘Boots’ will win this fight. Xander stood up; plus, he’s young, 23. [But] ‘Boots’ can do everything. He can fight and box, and he has different ways to fight and win.

“This fight will take ‘Boots’ to another level. But I don’t think Xander is the toughest fighter ‘Boots’ has ever faced. Stanionis was supposed to be tough and look what ‘Boots’ did to him. [Sergei] Lipinets and [Thomas] Dulorme were supposed to be tough and look what ‘Boots’ did to them [in knockout wins]. I think they were tougher than Xander.

“Nothing is wrong with Xander, he’s a good boxer. This will be a good test for ‘Boots.’ I think Xander is a better test than Ortiz, who comes to you. Xander will box and move.”

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Javiel Centeno, Zayas’ trainer since the start of his career and one of more underrated trainers in the game, feels confident going into this fight.

“We want to face the version of ‘Boots’ we think he can be, and the ‘Boots’ that we have seen in the past,” Centeno says. “After we beat Baraou, we were looking to fight the next best fight. We tried the Fundora route and that never happened. The whole Ortiz-’Boots’ debacle left the door open for us. ‘Boots,’ without a doubt, is the best fight for us at 154. Josh Kelly wasn’t going to fight us. Fundora wasn’t going to fight us. We said yes to Ortiz twice and Xander wanted that fight. They ghosted us for a while, and after Xander won the [WBO] title, we wanted the fight in Puerto Rico. Ortiz did not want the fight in Puerto Rico.

“This is the best fight for us. Xander is right mentally and physically. He knows himself. Top Rank has done a good job of putting him in front of different styles and different looks. These are two great fighters looking to face the best.”