Zayas is already attracting attention as a young contender, but Malignaggi has linked his potential rise to the strength of his Spanish fan base and the kind of support that has historically followed the Puerto Rican champions. A victory in a fight of this level will not only increase his standing in the division. This would almost immediately expand his reach over a wider audience.
“You give them a champion like that with all the marketability that Zayas has, they will fit in very nicely with the modern boxers, similar to Miguel Cotto, Félix Trinidad.”
Those comparisons indicate the magnitude of the opportunity. Zayas is considered more than a prospect in a competitive weight class. He is positioned as a potential draw capable of carrying a fan base in the same way that Puerto Rican stars have done.
Malignaggi also made it clear that the interests run both ways. Ennis enters as one of the most established fighters at 154 pounds, and a win over a rising name with growing attention would solidify his position near the top.
“It’s a fight that I think both of them need,” Malignaggi said. “Credit to both guys who made it happen.”
He also pointed to the effort behind putting the match together, noting the pressure to deliver fights between recognizable names.
“Credit to DAZN for making it happen, for getting all these promoters together and making these big fights,” Malignaggi said.
There are other fighters in the division who remain part of the bigger picture, including Jesus Ramos Jr., but Malignaggi kept the focus on what this fight could create.
A win would do more than move Zayas forward. It would change how he was perceived overnight.
