Xander Zayas ‘Not Going to be an Easy Fight for Boots,’ Says Robert Garcia

Jaron Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) is all set to fight it out for Xander Zayas’ (23-0, 13 KOs) unified WBA and WBO junior middleweight titles at the Barclays Center on June 27. While Ennis might be expecting a challenging but simple fight, trainer Robert Garcia has reasons to believe otherwise.

Talking to the Ring Magazine, Garcia was all praise for Zayas for taking up a fight against an opponent like Ennis.

“I give a lot of credit and respect to Zayas for taking this type of fight early in his career, at the age of 23. Zayas said he wanted to fight Vergil in the past, and he’s proving it, that he wants the tough fights,” he said. “He’s already unified titles and wants to fight Vergil, too, and with that type of mentality, he’s a dangerous fighter.”

Garcia isn’t merely talking out of the blue. Zayas is a true boxer-puncher with an exceptional ability to fight both offensively and defensively. Unlike many of Ennis’ recent opponents, he isn’t a straightforward pressure fighter who walks into counters. Moreover, his size could also prove problematic for Ennis. Zayas is a natural junior middleweight who has grown into the division, whereas Ennis is still relatively new to 154 pounds after spending years draining himself to make welterweight. A larger, younger fighter with technical skills is often more dangerous than a more famous opponent whose style plays directly into your strengths.

However, it should be said that most analysts still favor Ennis even those who see Zayas as dangerous because he’s skilled enough to make Ennis think.

But will that influence Garcia’s opinion about both fighters?

“It’s not going to be an easy fight for Boots. A lot of people are thinking Boots is going to dominate easily. Xander has size and strength and is big enough to compete at 160 pounds,” he said. “We’ve only seen Boots fight at 154 pounds for two minutes. He’s also never been in a fight where he’s had to really suck it up to win.”

“I Still Favor Boots”

Does that mean Zayas is Garcia’s favourite to win the fight? His words might just tell a different story.

“It can turn out to be a 50-50 fight. I still favor Boots, but I think it’s going to be a difficult fight. Xander is getting ready to pull it off; he’s not just looking for a payday,” he said. “This kid is focused on being the best in the division. Hopefully, it is a close fight because I am excited to see a great fight.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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