Jaron 'Boots' Ennis left Barclays Center on Saturday night with the WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles, the signature win of his career, and answers to questions that had dogged him for years. What would happen when he finally faced an elite opponent? What would happen when he was finally hurt? And could he do it in front of a hostile crowd? Less than an hour after stopping previously unbeaten Xander Zayas in the seventh round, Ennis sounded convinced none of them required much discussion.
The Defining Sequence: Ennis Wobbled in Third Round
The defining sequence of the fight came in the third round when Zayas landed a flush right hand through Ennis’s guard that wobbled the challenger, forcing the Philadelphia fighter to retreat and clinch during the most difficult spell of his professional career. Many watching, including his promoter Eddie Hearn, believed they had finally seen Ennis badly hurt. Ennis politely disagreed. 'I was chilling,' he said at the post-fight press conference. 'Cool, calm, collected. When this madness going on, I just get calm and be patient.'
His father and trainer, Derek 'Bozy' Ennis, saw little reason for alarm either. 'He got a little lazy because it was easy,' Bozy said. 'I wasn’t worried about nothing at all.' Instead, both viewed the sequence as little more than a brief detour. Ennis reasserted himself from the fifth round, carving up Zayas with blinding combinations and scoring two more knockdowns before referee Harvey Dock stopped the contest in the seventh. Ennis also credited his corner for helping him settle back into the fight, saying he began listening more closely to his father’s instructions after the difficult third round.
Hostile Crowd Fuels Ennis
The atmosphere provided another test. Puerto Rican supporters packed Barclays Center and loudly backed Zayas throughout the evening, creating one of the most partisan environments Ennis has experienced despite fighting only a short drive from his hometown of Philadelphia. Rather than feeling outnumbered, Ennis said the atmosphere only fueled him. 'I loved it,' he said. 'It turned me up even more.' Bozy smiled when asked about the overwhelmingly pro-Zayas crowd. 'I love Puerto Ricans,' he said. 'They always stick together.'
On a night that ennobled both men, Ennis was equally complimentary of the opponent who had pushed him further than anyone else in his professional career. Zayas was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for precautionary evaluation after the fight and did not attend the post-fight news conference. 'Xander’s a great fighter,' Ennis said. 'I hope he’s OK. Whether he stays at 154 or moves up, I think he’ll be champion again.'
Ennis Eyes Undisputed at 154lb
Saturday’s victory also transformed the conversation surrounding Ennis’s future. For years, the 29-year-old struggled to secure the marquee fights his talent appeared to demand, first at welterweight and then since moving to 154lb last year. Now, after pocketing two of the four major sanctioning-body titles, his path toward becoming the division’s undisputed champion appears considerably clearer. 'Most definitely,' Ennis said when asked whether collecting every major belt remained the goal.
One obvious target is WBC champion Sebastian Fundora. 'Bring him on,' Ennis said matter-of-factly. Another is fellow unbeaten Vergil Ortiz Jr, a bout that appeared close earlier this year before negotiations collapsed amid Ortiz’s contractual dispute with Golden Boy Promotions. Hearn indicated that possibility remains alive. 'We don’t rule out that fight,' the Matchroom Boxing chairman said, while stressing that Ennis’s priority is securing the remaining world titles. For Ennis, however, the objective has not changed. 'I’m here to take over this division,' he said. 'I’m here to be the face of boxing.'
Yet even after the biggest victory of his career, Ennis remained his own harshest critic. 'I got to go back and watch it,' he said. 'I’ll probably give myself probably like a C. C-plus. I’m way better than that.'
