Unified super welterweight champion Xander Zayas believes he has identified a security flaw in Jaron “Boots” Ennis ahead of their June 27 fight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Recent York.

While many observers pointed to Ennis’ athleticism as a major pre-fight advantage, Zayas rejected that narrative and argued that his own skills compared favorably to those of the Philadelphia native.

“Athleticism. Well, I do the same thing as him. I utilize different angles. The only thing I don’t do like him is I fight on the left, but other than that, I utilize different angles. I’m way better than him in terms of movement. My jab is good. My combinations, my counters. I mean, there’s athleticism to it, you know? You can’t do it fluidly without being athletic,” Zayas told Brian Custer on his channel.

When asked what he thought was Ennis’ biggest weakness, Zayas didn’t hesitate.

“His feet. He has a flat foot and [he doesn’t like getting hit to the] body so much. We’ll see how it goes,” Zayas said

Ennis enters the contest as the oddsmaker’s favorite, even though Zayas holds the WBA and WBO titles at 154 pounds. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican champion has assumed the underdog role throughout the build-up, claiming that Ennis and others underestimate him.

In the fight that will take place on June 27, the two youngest boxing champions will face each other. This fight is considered by many to be the most critical in both fighters’ careers. It’s also a chance for Zayas to prove that his technical skills and in-ring IQ can counteract the physical advantage that many attribute to Ennis.

If Zayas is right about Ennis’ body compliance and foot placement issues, fans could see him test that theory early when the opening bell rings in Brooklyn.

Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most critical fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.

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Last updated: 15/06/2026 at 22:34

Jesse Rodriguez became a three-division world champion on Saturday after stopping Antonio Vargas within six rounds, but a further fight against gold rival Naoya Inoue may be put on hold.

Following Inoue’s most recent defense of his undisputed super bantamweight world title against Junto Nakatani last month, Rodriguez is a name he has been linked to in multiple reports suggesting another event is in the works.

“Bam” vacated his unified super flyweight world titles and made his bantamweight debut over the weekend, winning Vargas’ WBA title by sixth-round knockout. Despite claiming victory, many feel the raise in size was noticeable and took its toll.

Speaking on DAZN during the broadcast, his trainer Robert Garcia confirmed that he wanted Rodriguez to “gain some momentum” and have one more fight at bantamweight before moving up to 122 pounds and challenging Inoue for his throne.

“After the fight he told me, ‘Listen, I really felt the strength,’ he’s a bigger guy, so why should we go straight to another division that will make a gigantic difference. We have to keep the pace.”

“I have no doubt that he will go out there and fight Inoue and that he will beat Inoue. But before that I need one more fight.”

When discussing possible bantamweight opponents, Garcia chose WBO champion Christian Medina over WBC ruler and brother of “The Monster,” Takuma Inoue.

“I personally would prefer Medina because he is a very forceful player and he is going to test us.”

While Rodriguez is considering a unification, he has also been ordered to face “WBA holiday champion” Seiya Tsutsumi and will be stripped of his WBA title if he fails to face him within six months of Saturday’s victory.

“He’s really intelligent and intelligent,” Ennis said. “He plays when he wants and kills when he wants. That’s me. I’m the same type. Our style is fan-friendly.”

While Ennis and Whittaker may share an appreciation for entertaining audiences, their upcoming assignments come with very different challenges.

Whittaker (11-0-1 (8 KO)) will face Richard Rivera in his American debut on the undercard at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 29-year-old Olympic silver medalist has not yet faced a world-class opponent in his professional career. His recent wins over Benjamin Gavazi and Brian Suarez came against opponents who lacked the speed and technical ability to consistently cause him problems.

Even Liam Cameron, whose first fight with Whittaker ended in a controversial draw, wasn’t the type of graceful boxer who could make Whittaker chase him around the ring. The rematch allowed Whittaker to answer some questions, but it didn’t prove how well his style would hold up against elite airy heavyweights.

Meanwhile, Jaron faces a different kind of test against Xander Zayas.

Unlike the slower, high-pressure opponents against whom Ennis often looked spectacular, Zayas brings movement, discipline and a technically sound boxing style. The undefeated titleholder operates with a edged jab, uses angles effectively and rarely gives his opponents extended opportunities to showcase his offensive creativity.

This can make it much more hard for Boots to “have fun” in the ring.

Critics have long questioned the level of opposition Ennis faced throughout his career, arguing that the accolades surrounding him outweighed the quality of his resume. A dominant victory over Zayas would be one of the strongest responses to these concerns.

Whittaker mostly faced opponents who wanted to fight on his terms. Zayas are not built that way. The 23-year-old prefers to box with the jab, create angles and reset his opponents. For Ennis, this may mean fewer opportunities for entertainment and more emphasis on solving the puzzle in front of him.

If not, the conversation around Ennis may remain unchanged.

Whittaker was largely allowed to dictate the terms of his fights. On June 27, Ennis will be tasked with doing something more hard: imposing his style on an opponent whose game plan is based on denying that freedom.