Ennis repeatedly stepped forward during the staredown, pointed his finger at the 23-year-old champion and closed the distance until both fighters were chest to chest. The moment escalated as Ennis continued the gestures from close range, forcing officials to step in and break them up.
Zayas did not respond in kind. He held his ground without reacting, then later pointed to that same exchange as evidence that the match might not go the way Ennis expects.
“He kept trying to believe that he’s as big as me, that he’s as tall as me. It’s different. It’s different. He saw it today,” Zayas said during the press conference.
The June 27 bout will see Ennis move up to 154 pounds to challenge Zayas, who holds the WBA and WBO titles. While much of the early attention focused on whether Ennis’ skills would carry over from welterweight, Zayas centered his message on physical presence and composure.
Even though Zayas is only 23, he carries himself with a maturity that usually takes a decade longer to develop. Ennis was clearly trying to test the younger man’s chin, metaphorically speaking, before they ever put on the gloves.
Closing that distance and getting into his space, Boots looked for a crack in the armor, a wink, a stutter, or a reactionary push that would indicate Zayas was feeling the heat.
Instead, Zayas treated it like a light sparring session for the mind. There are a few reasons why his response, or lack thereof, is so telling:
Zayas looked physically comfortable. When a guy moves up in weight to fight you and tries to bully you, staying quiet is the ultimate power move. It sends the message that “you can’t move me.”
Zayas has been a remarkable man since signing at 16. He is used to veterans trying to “little brother” him. He didn’t take the bait because he had already seen the script.
By not responding, Zayas actually put the pressure back on Ennis. Now Boots has to wonder why his usual intimidation tactics didn’t land.
This is a case of an elite talent trying to use alpha energy against a champion who is perfectly content to let his titles and his frame do the talking. If Ennis was looking for a tell that Zayas was nervous, he came up empty handed.
“I just feel like he gets frustrated when things don’t go his way, and he’s going to get really frustrated on June 27,” Zayas said.
Xander basically tells the world that Ennis has a “frustration trigger” when he can’t find his rhythm. The two fights against Karen Chukhadzhian are the perfect blueprint for Zayas’ argument.
In their first meeting in early 2023, Chukhadzhian’s movement and constant angles broke Ennis’ 19-fight knockout streak. You could see the annoyance building in Ennis as the laps ticked by and the highlight reel finish remained out of reach.
Even though Ennis won the 2024 rematch in Philly, it was described by many as a “flat” and “sloppy” performance. Despite the takedown, Ennis looks visibly bothered by the hold and the defensive tactics. He even admitted afterward that it’s hard to “stand up” to guys he doesn’t respect as top-level threats.
If Zayas can get Ennis to miss in the first few rounds on June 27, count on “Boots” losing his cool and making the kind of defensive mistakes we’ve seen in his recent outings.
“Man, to be great, you have to face the good guys,” Zayas said. “Just take the easy route. I want to be great. That’s how you do it.”
Zayas positions himself as the old-school rebounding champion looking for the biggest threats while casting a shadow of doubt over Ennis’ career management.
While “Boots” is undeniably talented, the perceived hesitation in his career has created an opening for Zayas to attack his “greatness” credentials:
Passing on a Vergil Ortiz fight when both were rising contenders is often cited as a missed opportunity to prove he was the top dog of the new generation.
Whether it was promotional hurdles or strategic waiting, the fact that Ennis never shared the ring with Terence Crawford while “Bud” held all the cards at welterweight remains a big “what if.”
By tuning up rather than challenging a top-tier competitor immediately after moving up, Zayas has given the ammunition to say Ennis is playing it safe.
By calling it out publicly, Zayas tries to get inside Ennis’ head. He’s essentially saying, “I’m the young lion who wants the smoke, and you’re the guy who’s waiting for the right conditions.” This puts the pressure on Ennis to not only win, but to be spectacular to prove Zayas wrong.
Zayas seems to understand that in today’s boxing game, fans respect the “take all comers” mentality more than an undefeated record against lesser competition.
