Boots Dethrones Zayas

Photo - Cris Esqueda/Matchroom Boxing

In an exciting battle, former unified welterweight champ Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis annexed the WBO/WBA super welterweight titles in an epic barn burner against defending champion Xander Zayas.

Ennis dropped Zayas with a multi-punch combination in the first round and Zayas was dazed. In the third, Zayas gained a measure of redemption by stunning Ennis with his own straight right, snapping back the head of Ennis and drawing cheers from the crowd.

In the fifth, Ennis landed a booming uppercut that sent Zayas crashing to the canvas again, this time badly hurt. Zayas barely beat the count, up at “9” with loads of time left. Referee Harvey Dock looked on the verge of stopping it, but Zayas miraculously survived the round. In round seven, more brutality as Ennis landed multiple blows, forcing Zayas to take a knee. As referee Dock was administering the count, he noticed Zayas looking at his corner in resignation. The fight was waved off at 1:49 of round seven. Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is now 36-0, 32 KOs and the new WBO/WBA super welterweight champion. Zayas loses his first fight along with his titles at 23-1, 13 KOs.

Vargas KOs MIlls

Super lightweights Bryce Mills and Emiliano Vargas fought on different cards on opposite side but of the United States. After his win, Mills called out fellow prospect Vargas for a crossroads fight. He got more than he asked for during the semi-main event of the Zayas-Ennis show at the Barclays Center.

After a brief first minute of feeling each other out, the fighters quickly traded heavy blows, with Mills landing a blistering combination against the ropes and Vargas answering with a hard straight left. In the final ten seconds of the opening round, Vargas stunned Mills with three consecutive straight lefts. In the second round as Mills caught Vargas with a straight right and a hook, only for Vargas to counter with a straight left moments later and close the round working the body.

The pace slowed in the third round until the closing seconds, when Mills’ gloves touched the canvas. Though counted as a knockdown, it appeared to be the result of a push to the back of the head. Ultimately, the controversial call mattered little. In the fourth round, Vargas ended the bout decisively, dropping Mills with a crisp straight left. Mills to his credit got up but was hit with an onslaught of punches that prompted the referee to stop the fight and save Mills from further punishment. The time was 1:17 of the fourth. Vargas improves to 18-0, 15 KOs. The hard luck Mills loses for the second time, falling to 22-2, 9 KOs.

Whittaker Victorious in US Debut

British hot-shot Ben Whittaker man-handled Hartford, CT’s Richard “Popeye” Rivera, stopping him in two one-sided rounds. A hard right behind the ear dropped Rivera in the first. As Rivera charged forward in the second, Whittaker met him with a short left hook, dropping him hard. Rivera beat the count, appeared to respond appropriately, but referee Michael Griffin Wasn’t satisfied and waved it off at :27 of the second round. Whittaker remains undefeated at 12-0, 9 KOs. Rivera falls to 27-3, 20 KOs.

Tucker Gets Win

Jahi Tucker secured a majority decision victory (95–95, 97–93, 98–92) over Euri Cedeño in an entertaining middleweight scrap.

Tucker set a blistering pace right out of the gate, surprising Cedeño with an aggressive strategy and heavy combinations. By the second and third rounds, the fight stayed in the pocket, with Tucker posturing on the ropes and rolling with counters.

In the middle rounds, Cedeño shifted the momentum by targeting the body. His relentless beltline shots clearly bothered Tucker, slowing his output and forcing him to make adjustments. Cedeño continued to find a home for his left hand while eating counters from Tucker as he walked him down.

After both fighters caught their second wind during the slower sixth and seventh rounds, Tucker rallied in the eighth with sharp counters. The tenth round produced the fight’s most bizarre moment when Tucker was caught in a headlock, stood up, and lifted Cedeño’s legs completely over the top rope, nearly causing a disaster.

The bout ended in thrilling fashion, with both men trading until the final bell before celebrating a spectacular performance. tucker moves to 17-1-1, 7 KOs. Cedeño loses his first at 14-1-1, 12 KOs