Zayas did little to quiet that discussion when the conversation turned to how high he could climb in weight during his career.
“I’ll definitely hit 75,” Zayas told Tobin when asked how far on the scale he might eventually go.
The comment drew attention because the 23-year-old only recently unified titles at 154. His split decision victory over Abass Baraou added the WBA belt to the WBO title he captured earlier in the year, leaving him one of the youngest champions in the sport.
Weight gain can quickly derail a career. Fighters who start carrying more natural size eventually reach a point where the subdivision between camps becomes more difficult. At that point, promoters have to decide if they want to keep a fighter in the same weight or start planning a move up.
In Zayas’ case, the timing is extra important because his promoter, Top Rank, has been trying to build him into an East Coast attraction. The company regularly placed Zayas on cards associated with Puerto Rican markets and New York events, a route once used to build fighters such as Felix Trinidad.
That strategy usually works best when a young champion stays in one division long enough to secure significant fights and grow a following. A move up several divisions can interrupt that path, especially if the fighter ends up meeting opponents with greater experience and natural size.
Light heavyweight already includes fighters like Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, David Benavidez and David Morrell, opponents who carry far more experience and natural size than most junior middleweights.
Each operates at a different stage of development than most junior middleweights and brings a physical advantage.
For now, Zayas said his priority is securing the biggest available fights at 154. He mentioned names like Josh Kelly and Devin Haney as he continues to build his record.
Size remains part of that discussion. During the interview, Zayas suggested that Devin Haney would feel the difference if they ever fought, saying he believed he was simply too big for the former lightweight champion. Haney competed in several divisions, although Zayas’ height and frame would present a different challenge.
Questions about how long Zayas can stay at junior middleweight are likely to continue as his career moves forward. At 23, he still has time to decide how far he will climb the ladder.
If his body continues to grow at its current rate, the decision to move up could come sooner than his team expected.
