by Phil Jay
Jaron “Boots” Ennis added the WBO and WBA super welterweight titles to his career haul with a seventh-round stoppage of Xander Zayas.
After surviving a dramatic third round, Ennis rallied to produce another statement victory at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Ennis made the perfect start by dropping Zayas in the opening round before taking another clear session to establish early control.
The Philadelphia star repeatedly found the target as the previously unbeaten champion struggled to cope with the speed, accuracy and power coming back at him.
Zayas Goes For It
Just when Ennis looked set to take complete control, Zayas produced a stunning response.
The third delivered one of the rounds of the year as Zayas badly hurt Ennis on more than one occasion, forcing him to dig deep.
Neither man gave an inch as they stood their ground and traded heavy shots in a breathtaking three minutes that showcased tremendous heart and world-class determination from both fighters.
Boots Takes Over
Ennis refused to let the fight slip away.
He edged another fiercely contested fourth before taking complete control in the fifth. A crushing uppercut left Zayas badly hurt before a follow-up attack forced a count.
Although the champion beat it and somehow reached the bell, he spent the remainder of the round fighting on instinct as Ennis threatened to end matters with every combination.
Knowing his legs had not fully recovered, Zayas spent much of the sixth moving around the ring in an effort to buy time. Ennis remained patient, refusing to waste energy while still doing enough to bank another round and maintain complete control.
The End
There was no escape in the seventh.
Ennis came out hunting the finish, forcing Zayas onto the back foot before another attack prompted the champion to take a knee.
Seeing Zayas in no condition to continue after he nodded toward his corner, the referee waved the contest off, crowning Ennis the unified WBA and WBO super welterweight champion.
Ennis answered every question Zayas asked before finishing the job in style. The victory underlined why “Boots” is regarded as one of the best fighters in the sport and strengthened his standing among boxing’s pound-for-pound elite.
As for Zayas, the previously unbeaten Puerto Rican showed enough during his finest moments to suggest he will remain a major force at 154 pounds and beyond.
World Boxing News covered full results from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Source: worldboxingnews.com