Full Breakdown
Xander Zayas Signs Multi-Year Extension with Top Rank Ahead of Ennis Title Fight
4/28/2026, 5:18:16 AM
Contract Extension and Upcoming Title Defense
Puerto Rican junior-middleweight champion Xander Zayas, 23, has signed a multi-year extension with Las Vegas-based promoter Top Rank. The deal coincides with his defense of the WBO and WBA super welterweight titles against former unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis on June 27 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, on DAZN PPV.
Career Path and Top Rank Partnership
Zayas joined Top Rank in March 2019 at age 16, the youngest fighter ever signed. After regional wins over Elias Espadas and Alexis Salazar in 2022, he rose to No. 1 in the WBO rankings. He captured his first world title in July 2025, just shy of 23, and unified the WBO and WBA belts in his first defense, outpointing Abass Baraou in January. The new contract extends the partnership that has taken him from a teenage prospect to a unified champion.
Key Figures
Key participants: Xander Zayas (unified champion), Top Rank President Todd duBoef, manager Peter Kahn, challenger Jaron Ennis, founder Bob Arum, streaming partner DAZN, and the Barclays Center.
Data & Statistics
Age: 23; Record: 23-0 (13 KOs); Titles: WBO & WBA belts; Contract: Multi-year extension (terms undisclosed); Fight: June 27 at Barclays Center, Brooklyn; Broadcast: DAZN PPV.
Official Statements & Responses
Top Rank President Todd duBoef said the extension shows the promoter’s confidence in Zayas’s trajectory and the partnership’s impact on his profile. Zayas expressed gratitude for representing Puerto Rico at the sport’s highest level and pledged to keep adding victories. Manager Peter Kahn emphasized Top Rank’s talent-development expertise and its Latino-market reach, noting the deal supports plans for unifications and worldwide events.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We signed Xander at 16 and have watched him grow from a gifted teenager into a unified world champion,” — Todd duBoef, President, Top Rank
- “I'm blessed to continue representing Puerto Rico at the highest level of the sport with Top Rank,” — Xander Zayas, Boxer
- “Xander’s path is a testament to Top Rank’s ability to develop talent the right way,” — Peter Kahn, Manager
- “fell in love with the kid,” — Bob Arum, Founder, Top Rank
Significance and Impact
Zayas’s renewal underscores Top Rank’s commitment to cultivating Latino talent and a pipeline of marketable champions. At 23, he is the sport’s youngest current two-belt junior-middleweight champion, giving Puerto Rico a high-profile representative on DAZN. The Ennis showdown on DAZN aims to attract new viewers and reinforce boxing’s relevance in the premium-pay-per-view market.
What’s Next
Zayas faces Ennis on June 27. A win would set up further unification fights, while Top Rank will use its DAZN partnership for exposure. The extension keeps Zayas under the promoter’s guidance as his career progresses.
