Ennis Vs. Zayas – Will It Happen?

Following the collapse of negotiations for a fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr., talk has shifted to a clash between Jaron Ennis (35-0) and unified 154-lb champion Xander Zayas (23-0).

Despite a verbal agreement to fight Ennis in the first half of 2026, Ortiz remains legally tied to Golden Boy Promotions. A Nevada judge upheld a temporary restraining order (TRO) that effectively blocks Ortiz from signing third-party contracts without Golden Boy’s approval. Frustrated by the five-month delay, Ennis officially declared on March 12 that it is "time to move on." Zayas may now be an option.

The Fallout

"I did everything In my power to make this fight happen for the fans. I waited long enough and I stayed quiet through it all. It looks like Vergil or his team really didnt want to fight. I came to his fight in his home town and told him he was next. That was November, it’s March and still nothing. It’s time to move on. Two division champion up next. I told y’all the truth was gone come to the light," Ennis said

"I guess that [legal] scenario can be settled instantly, or it can never be settled. But we’re moving on with Jaron Ennis, in a sense of, that door [for Ortiz] is still open. If we get something else done, we go in for it. We’ve started to make plans, with that respect. I will never really give up on Ennis versus Ortiz. It’s the best fight in American boxing.

"We’ll have to see, but right now, we are obviously planning the future of Jaron Ennis … Josh Kelly is obviously a fight that can be made. The Xander Zayas fight is a huge fight in America as well. Jermell Charlo has been on. There is a whole host. We will get Boots a big fight. He will fight in May," Eddie Hearn stated

Zayas unified after defeating Abass Baraou in January. In doing so, he became the youngest unified champion in the sport’s current era, holding the WBA and WBO Junior Middleweight Titles. Ennis has the WBA Interim Title, making him mandatory for Zayas’s WBA belt. The fight is logistically easier to finalize following Top Rank’s new broadcast deal with DAZN earlier this week. Both promoters—Matchroom and Top Rank—now share the same streaming platform, removing the "broadcast war" obstacle.

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