PHILADELPHIA — As the media horde parted and Bozy Ennis was able to find some space to stand back in early April at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, the father and trainer of Jaron “Boots” Ennis had to look over his shoulder at the other side of the room, and look back again. Bozy was appreciative yet still trying to absorb it.
“The kid has big balls, I have to say,” uttered Bozy amid the din in reference to 23-year-old unified WBA and WBO 154-pound world champion Xander Zayas at the conclusion of the kickoff press conference announcing the title fight between Zayas and “Boots.” “No one wants to fight Boots. This kid does. He has skill. He has ability. But he’s nowhere near Boots. This is the opportunity we have been waiting for and we appreciate [Zayas] giving it to us. I just hope Xander knows what he is in for.”
What boxing is in for is a special clash between two undefeated super welterweight fighters; one, “Boots” Ennis, far closer to his prime and ready to make that big splash everyone in boxing has been expecting the past few years, and two, Zayas, the youngest 154-pound world champion in boxing, on Saturday night at Barclays Center, live on DAZN.
Neither Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) nor Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) have ever met anyone as good as who they will face Saturday night.
Ennis has always had a flirtatious relationship with boxing. He has teased fans with how good he can be, fighting the last few years at about 70% of his abilities, enervated by managing to squeeze 147 pounds into his lean 5-foot-10 frame. And for the past few years, Ennis had been crucifying himself to make 147, despite how taxing it was on his body and his psyche.
“I wasn’t myself, or, even better, I wasn’t able to do the things that I’m used to doing,” admitted Ennis, who turns 29 on Friday, the day before the fight. “I know I haven’t gotten a lot of work at 154 (one live round in dispatching Uisma Lima last October before a packed, newly-branded Xfinity Mobile Arena, home of the 76ers and Flyers, in Ennis’ Philadelphia hometown). But I know what I can do. Moving up [seven pounds] has meant a lot. I feel stronger physically, mentally, my preparation is that much better because I can throw everything into training and not worry so much about the weight [drain].
“I know my dad and I give [Zayas] a lot of credit for fighting me. He is a champion with two belts. He just happened to be holding them for me right now. But I’m going to be honest, he has nothing for me. He’s like a little kid, a little boy playing boxing, fighting a grown man. I’m going to be able to do anything I want. I respect his abilities. He won’t be as easy to hit as [Vergil] Ortiz [Jr., who Ennis was supposed to fight, before Ortiz’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions obtained a restraining order in March halting the bout]. But he makes me laugh. He actually thinks that he can beat me. I hope I see that side of him. I want to see his best, and he will see my best.
“It won’t be too hard to hit [Zayas’] big head,” Ennis added with a laugh. “His head is like a big watermelon you smash with a hammer.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on him, and I’m ready to put on a show. He has to prove himself to me. I have nothing to prove to him. I asked for him.”
Ennis feels Zayas is too slow to stay with him. He promises fireworks.
As does his father, Bozy.
“[Zayas] can’t keep up,” Bozy said. “He doesn’t have the speed. He doesn’t have the skills Boots has. He has guts, I will give Xander that. He has that going for him. Boots’ best is way ahead of him. He hasn’t had to throw everything into his fights to win, because he has been so much better than everyone he’s faced. Xander is a great kid. He’s coming up. Boots feels good, relaxed. He has put in hard work. We thought the Ortiz fight was done, [but] he doesn’t want to fight Boots. It’s why I give Xander all the credit for fighting Boots. Xander is a solid, good fighter. The difference is Boots is a great fighter.”
Neither fighter has ever been knocked down as a pro.
Ennis can fight either orthodox or from a southpaw stance. Zayas will be the bigger fighter on fight night. The ring has always been home to Ennis. Top Rank admitted they pushed back on Zayas taking the fight, but Zayas took it anyway.
Zayas claims Ennis is flat-footed and will be there to be hit.
Ennis has come under some criticism in the past for being hit too easily by far inferior fighters. There may be two explanations for that: 1.) Ennis is an offensive fighter willing to take risks and with those risks come by taking shots; 2.) Ennis is so much better than everyone he’s faced is that he gets bored and tries to lure opponents forward by eating shots. Ennis does not get hit in combination. He does not take many hard flush shots. He is a boxer-puncher with stoppage power.
Though he fights out of an orthodox stance, Zayas is naturally left-handed. Ennis has a good chin. He sees and catches shots coming. He has never been caught by a shot he has not seen. Ennis also has a deep bag of tools. He comes at opponents from various angles and sets up everything with emphatic counterpunches. If Ennis has an issue, something he will need to watch for is his impatience.
Ennis himself feels he will stop Zayas. The risk he takes is loading up on a punch and Zayas catches him with a counterpunch. Zayas may be the best athlete Ennis has ever faced as a pro. Zayas has great foot work, and respectable punching power. Avoiding Ennis’ jab will be the key for Zayas. One way he may be able to break Ennis’ rhythmic jab is by counter-jabbing Ennis to the body.
“My focus is good, and I feel I can do anything against Zayas, whether that’s me boxing, going forward or backward, or using a midrange game,” Ennis said. “The knockout will come. I’m going to get it. I just have to be patient, and don’t look for it. I will break him down and own the belts Zayas is holding for me.”
At that, Ennis laughed again.
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