Connect with us

Boxing

Baraou heads to the Lion’s Den to take the WBO title from Zayas

Published

on

Image: Abass Baraou Heads Into the Lion’s Den: German WBA Champion Aims to Rip Xander Zayas’ WBO Title in Puerto Rico Showdown on January 31

WBA junior middleweight champion Abass Baraou (17-1, 9 KO) will hit the road again to face WBO 154-pound titleholder Xander Zayas (22-0, 13 KO) on January 31, 2026 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Top Rank, organizers of the Baraou vs. event Zayas, there is no information about the January 31st broadcast platform. Boxing fans will be interested.

Top Rank’s long-running eight-year broadcast contract with ESPN ended on July 26, 2025. They have been without a home since then. Surprisingly, they found no other broadcast platform where their talented players could showcase their skills.

Can Zayas withstand the heat?

The 31-year-old German Baraou will enter enemy territory to take the WBO title from the 23-year-old, inexperienced Puerto Rican Xander in his first defense of the crown. This is a fight where Baraou will need a good set of wheels to keep up with Zayas as he is mobile and tends to hold up a lot.

Baraou looked outstanding in his last fight, defeating interim WBA 154-pound champion Yoenis Tellaz by unanimous decision of 12 rounds in a spotless war on August 23, 2025. A month later on September 21, the WBA elevated Baraou to the full junior middleweight title after previous champion Terence Crawford vacated the title.

Objections and complaints

Zayas won the vacant WBO 154-pound title in his last fight, defeating Jorge Garcia Perez via 12-round unanimous decision on July 26, 2025, at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York.

This wasn’t a fun fight to watch unless you like to see movement and a lot of holding. This was the tactic Xander used to neutralize Marqarito’s pressure and Garcia Perez’s inside skills.

The 23-year-old Zayas is no match for Puerto Rican talents of the past, Felix Trinidad and Miguel Cotto. As far as Chris Williams can tell, Zayas’ fighting style is nothing like these champions. If Xander held back and moved less, he would have a better chance of matching these retired legends.

Baraou’s statement

“I fully appreciate him for stepping up and accepting this fight. Not everyone would take such a risk, especially at this stage, but that’s what makes this fight special,” Baraou said. “I’m getting ready to go to Puerto Rico, I’m going to bring some real heat and show the world that I’m a real force in this division. I’m not coming just to show off. I’m coming to make a statement and leave with another belt.”

For Barou to win, he will need to have quick feet to catch up to Zayas as he will be on the move throughout the match. Abass will also need an answer to the clinching that Zayas will be using, as it is a gigantic part of his game.

Last update: 11/10/2025

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Shakur Stevenson accuses Devin Haney of ‘false public negotiations’ after £144 settlement

Published

on

Image: Shakur Stevenson Accuses Devin Haney of "Fake Public Negotiations" After 144-Pound Agreement

Potential negotiations between Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson have taken another public turn after Stevenson accused his rival of engaging in “false public negotiations” following Haney’s latest comments on social media.

Haney appeared frustrated after previously agreeing to Stevenson’s proposed catchweight of 144 pounds, suggesting that even accepting those terms did not bring the fight any closer to becoming a reality.


“144 is not enough…I still don’t want to fight! Damn…@ShakurStevenson,” Haney wrote X.

Shakur later responded by dismissing this public exchange as a impoverished reflection of how main event fights actually unfold.

“The same thing you all did with Rolly. All those counterfeit public negotiations… The real negotiations take place offline.” I am the truth that you will see when you stand before me!!” Shakur posted.

Shakiur previously considered 144 pounds to be a fair compromise in a potential showdown with Haney, who has competed at welterweight in his most recent outings. Haney then signaled his willingness to accept the catchweight offer, sparking optimism that one of boxing’s most talked-about fights could gain momentum.

The latest exchange came shortly after the WBO confirmed that Haney must either defend his welterweight title against mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis or risk losing the belt. While neither Haney nor Stevenson directly addressed the situation in their recent posts, the article did add another note to any future negotiations involving the former two-division world champions.

With Haney facing a WBO title decision and Shakur insisting that stern negotiations will take place behind closed doors, the pressure is now on both camps to determine whether the fight can go beyond an online exchange.

Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter

Related boxing news:

Categories Devin Haney, Keyshawn Davis and Shakur Stevenson

Last update: 2026/06/12 at 21:45

Continue Reading

Boxing

Shakur Stevenson Doubles Down on Tim Tszyu vs Errol Spence Prediction: ‘Can’t Beat Him’

Published

on

Shakur Stevenson doubles down on Tim Tszyu vs Errol Spence prediction: “He can’t beat him”

Shakur Stevenson maintained his predictions for the Errol Spence Jr vs. Tim Tszyu fight, believing that one fighter would be too “mentally tough” for the other.

The meeting of the two former world champions will take place on July 25 in Australia at weight of 158 pounds to accommodate Spence’s inactivity.

Even though Tszyu insisted on fighting at super welterweight, his opponent clearly felt the extra 4 pounds would be appropriate after his three-year layoff.

This long break came after Spence suffered a ninth-round stoppage loss to Terence Crawford, who became the undisputed king of the 147-pound division in surprisingly one-sided fashion.

Spence previously held the WBC, IBF and WBA titles with victories over Shawn Porter, Kell Brook and Yordenis Ugas, although a weight augment always seemed inevitable.

Now the 36-year-old hopes to revive his career against Tszyu, who is coming off a two-point win after losing to Sebastian Fundora last July.

While their rematch ended in the seventh round, Tszyu showed tremendous strength against Fundora in 2024, only to lose the WBO title via split decision.

Later that year, the Australian suffered a third-round defeat to Bakhram Murtazaliev, with four-division world champion Stevenson saying: The whole fight against smoke that he thinks Spence is a level above him.

“I think so [Spence] I will do well. I wish Errol all the best; I hope Errol goes in there and beats Tim Tszyu.

“I’m an Errol Spence fan; I was okay with Errol Spence before [Crawford] fight. I know Errol is mentally forceful – Errol is a dog when it comes to fighting, so I don’t think Tim Tszyu can beat him.

Stevenson previously suggested that Spence could “destroy” Tszyu, believing the 31-year-old’s style was tailor-made for “The Truth.”

Continue Reading

Boxing

Shakur Stevenson expects the former champion to defeat Tim Tszyu

Published

on

Image: Errol Spence Is a Dog: Shakur Stevenson Expects Former Champ to Defeat Tim Tszyu

Despite concerns about Errol’s long three-year absence from the ring, Shakur believes the former unified welterweight champion still has what it takes to beat Tszyu.

“I think so [Spence] I will do well. I wish Errol all the best; I hope Errol goes in there and beats up Tim Tszyu,” Shakur said on Andre Ward’s channel.

“I’m an Errol Spence fan; Errol Spence was OK before [Terence Crawford] fight. I know Errol is mentally robust. Errol is a dog when it comes to fighting, so I don’t think Tim Tszyu can beat him.

Spence has not fought since a ninth-round loss to Crawford in July 2023 that cost him the WBC, WBA and IBF welterweight titles. After almost three years of break from competition, the 36-year-old is now trying to resume his career in a fresh weight class.

Meanwhile, Tszyu enters the fight with regained momentum after a arduous period in 2024. The former WBO junior middleweight champion bounced back from setbacks to Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev with back-to-back victories to get back into position for his next marquee fight.

Shakur has previously expressed confidence in Spence’s chances against Tszyu, but his latest comments suggest he remains confident that the Texan’s experience, mentality and overall ability will be the deciding factor on July 25.

The fight will be one of the biggest tests of Spence’s career. While Tszyu is looking to secure a spectacular win that could redefine his position in the junior middleweight division, Errol will be looking to show that he can still compete at the highest level after an extended period of inactivity.

Youtube video

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending