Devin Haney immediately went on the offensive after Jaron “Boots” Ennis stopped Xander Zayas on Saturday night, focusing entirely on what he perceived as a lack of heart. The moment trainer Javiel Centeno waved off the seventh-round contest after a heavy knock, Haney took to social media to label the former WBA and WBO junior middleweight champion as a player.
“Xander has quit. We are not the same,” Haney wrote Xwhich immediately sparked a massive debate across the boxing world.
For Haney, the stoppage was not a mercy intervention, but evidence of a fundamental difference in fighter mentality. He used the loss to draw a line between himself and Zayas, telling fans that he will never let his team pull him out of a fight when the going gets tough.
While Zayas found early success with his jab, Ennis completely took over the middle rounds with heavy combinations before scoring the decisive seventh round knockout. The brutal nature of the beating forced Centeno to step in, but Haney clearly believes that a true champion goes out on their shield rather than letting the corner be chosen for them.
Instead of the focus remaining on Ennis winning the titles, Haney ensured the conversation centered on the definition of a fighter’s grit. His harsh criticism turned the corner stop into the most controversial talking point of the entire event.
Ennis’ performance also solidified his position at 154 pounds as he added two world titles with the dominant seventh-round stoppage.
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Last updated on 2026/06/28 at 14:58
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