Xander Zayas vs. Jaron “Boots” Ennis Official for June 27 in Brooklyn

Unified junior middleweight champ Xander Zayas is set for the biggest test of his career, defending his WBA and WBO titles against Jaron “Boots” Ennis on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Zayas comes in at 23-0 (13 KOs), while Ennis brings a glossy 35-0 (31 KOs, plus one No Contest) record and is making the jump from welterweight to 154 after years of hype as one of the sport’s most avoided punchers.

This is the kind of matchup fans have been begging for: a young unified champion against a prime, explosive star daring to move up in weight instead of hanging around for soft defenses. The winner doesn’t just grab two belts; he pretty much plants a flag as the man at junior middleweight and lines himself up for monster crossover fights down the road.

Stylistically, it’s fascinating – Zayas is sharp, poised and busy, but Ennis is a switch-hitting finisher with fast counters, uppercuts and crosses that can change a fight in a heartbeat. For Puerto Rican fans in New York and Philly fans riding with Boots, Brooklyn is going to feel like a powder keg by the time that ring walk hits on June 27.