Promoter Eddie Hearn says he is interested in the battle between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and WBO junior middleweight champion Xander Zayas.
Zayas and Ennis: the interest
Hearn states that he spoke to the top rankings later this year in Puerto Rico to work with them for Xander’s homecoming fight. If Zayas wins fighting and Ennis (34-0, 30 COs) winning against Uisma Loma in his match next month, Hearn wants to negotiate a Zayas-Know battle.
Hearn says he hoped for a battle between “Boots” and Vergil Ortiz Jr. To compile for early 2026, but he received no contact from Vergil’s promoters at Golden Boy. So, he now doubts that they are interested in fighting. A fighter who says he wants to fight is Zayas.
The lima problem
Again, it will require both Ennis and Zayas to win their next battles. As Hearn points out, on October 11, 2025, “Boots” had a difficult battle against Lima (14-1, 10 COs) in the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. It will be Ennis’s debut at 154. Lima is the rankings #9 IBF, #9 WBA and #9 WBC.
Hearn is also interested in these two battles for Ennis:
- Bakhram Murzazerev: IBF 154 Pound Champion
- Terence Crawford: WBA champion
The Zayas-Know event
“I believe Xander Zayas wants the fight. We had a conversation with the top rankings to work together to give him a homecoming in Puerto Rico, and then to run the ‘Boots’ fight. We are up for that. Boots against Xander Zayas, what a fight, ‘promoter Eddie Hearn told Chris Mannix’s channel about his interest in compiling a battle between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and WBO Junior Midleweweight Champion Xander Zayas.
A fight between Ennis and Zayas would be interesting because it would match two excellent boxers against each other. It will also allow Zayas to show fans that he is not afraid to take risky battles, and that he is not a careful maneuvered, artificial champion as many people believe.
Hearn did not say who he would use from his match room as the opponent of Zayas, 23, to make his first defense of his 154-pound WBO title by this December in Puerto Rico.
Murtazaliev’s path to Ennis
‘Then you (Bakhram) have Murtazaliev and talk about the fight against Josh Kelly in December. We will also fight (Ennis) against him. The winner of ‘Boots Against Lima will be the compulsory challenger to Terence Crawford. Now we know that he is unlikely to return to 154, but who knows? ‘
A fight between Ennis and IBF 154-Pond Champion Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 COs) would be exciting for fans to look at. Jaron would have the opportunity to show people what he could do against the fighter who destroyed former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu through a third round on October 19, 2024.
If the WBA Crawford withdraws from its title because of the abandonment, Ennis and WBA -Tussent time champion Abass Baraou can fight for the vacant belt. If he elevated ABass to the WBA champion, it would also work, which could fight for the belt, rather than crown the title, as he claimed the IBF Welterweight Belt on November 9, 2024.
” Boots’ against Crawford is another fantastic battle. The one thing you don’t have to worry about, boots is that he will fight with someone. Go through Lima, which will be difficult. This man is going to fight. Get ready, and then we absolutely fight someone, ‘says Hearn,
Win or lose on Saturday against Canelo Alvarez, Crawford is unlikely to return to 154 at any time for a fight with the young ‘boots’ Ennis, unless Turki Alalshikh offers him a big payday.
It is a too difficult battle for Crawford, and which would make it more difficult if he prefers to put another year out of the ring after his collision with Canelo. Returning at the age of 39 to fight against Ennis would be a nightmare for Terence. A loss of ‘boots’ would proclaim his legacy, especially if it was knocked out.
Last updated on 09/09/2025
