By Steven Cummings
Jaron “Boots” Ennis dropped Xander Zayas three times and lifted two super welterweight titles with a TKO7 on Saturday night in Brooklyn, NY. The heavily hyped showdown exceeded all expectations as Ennis (36-0, 32 KOs) outslugged the 23-year old Puerto Rican in a star-making performance.
Official time of the stoppage was 1:49 of round seven when Zayas’ corner threw in the towel after the third knockdown.
Ennis scored a knockdown early in the first round the the tone was set for the rest of the fight. Zayas (23-1, 13 KOs) caught a solid right hand and went down under a rush of punches. “Boots” attacked and Zayas took on a lot of damage in a rough first round.
Zayas was able to calm the waters somewhat in the second round, though Ennis won the frame and had an early three-point lead.
Round three brought the Puerto Rican fans alive as Zayas stunned Ennis with several solid shots. It looked like Ennis might go down as he was taking clean shots to the head, but Zayas wasn’t able to score an equalizing knockdown.
Both fighters traded heavy shots throughout, with Zayas putting himself in harm’s way to his own peril. “Boots” showed power and accuracy with both hands, battering the young two-belt champion.
When Zayas went to a knee from heavy shots in the seventh round, his corner wisely threw in the towel. Referee Harvey Dock called a halt to the bout at the 1:49 mark.
InTheCorner.Net had Jaron Ennis up 58-53 at the time of the stoppage.
The question for Zayas going in was his power, and it proved to be insufficient to keep “Boots” off of him or to put him down when he had him hurt. His strategy of staying in the pocket and trading with Ennis didn’t work out either.
But Xander Zayas took on a dangerous opponent, fought valiantly and earned many new fans with his gutsy performance.
UNDERCARD
EMILIANO VARGAS (18-0, 15 KO) TKO4 over BRYCE MILLS (22-2, 9 KOs)
10 Rounds, Super Lightweights
RD1 – Good battle to start. Vargas quick hands, landing the left to the body from the southphaw stance. Both throwing combinations and committing to them. Slight edge to Vargas, 10-9 Vargas.
RD2 – Mills pressing, not getting that much in. Vargas coming back with fast hands. Good two-way action but Vargas has the edge, 20-18 Vargas.
RD3 – Probably Vargas bit Mills is getting a lot done. Mills down near the ned of the round. Not hurt, but clean. 10-8 Vargas, 30-26 Vargas.
RD4 – Mills down again and hurt. Wild exchange, ref can’t get in there because Mills is throwing back but he finally does. Official time – 1:17.
BEN WHITTAKER (12-0-1, 9 KOs) TKO2 over RICHARD RIVERA (27-3, 20 KOs)
10 Rounds, Light Heavyweights
RD1 – Whittaker rangy, Rivera can’t get inside. Rivera down at the end of the round from a right hand to the top of the head. 10-8 Whittaker.
RD2 – Rivera down again from a left hand in opening seconds, waved off way too fast. Official time of the stoppage – :27 seconds.
Jahi Tucker (17-1-1, 7 KOs) MD10 over Euri Cedeno (14-0-1, 12 KOs)
10 Rounds, Middleweights
RD1 – Tucker out fast, pops Cedeno to the head with both hands. Lefty Cedeno weathers the storm, moving Tucker back. Lot of shots landing for Tucker, not hurting Cedeno. 10-9 Tucker
RD2 – Tucker won that round with his movement. Up 2-0, but feels like something big will be coming back from Cedeno at some point.
RD3 – Tucker busier, the exchanges are pretty even but Tucker doesn’t stop. 10-9 Tucker, 30-27 Tucker
RD4 – Cedeno turned the tide a bit, was in control for most of the round. Tucker finished good, could have stolen it. 10-9 Cedeno, 39-37 Tucker.
RD5 – I like Cedeno’s ring generalship here. Tucker has bursts that look spectacular but they’re coming less and less as the rounds go on. 10-9 Cedeno, 48-47.
RD6 – Slowest round of the fight. Could go either way but I’ll go Tucker, 58-56 Tucker.
RD7 – Cedeno attack has slowed too much. 10-9 Tucker, 68-65 Tucker.
RD7 – Better round for Cedeno, got a little busier, but probably didn’t win it. 10-9 Tucker, 78-74 Tucker.
RD –9 Tucker took a breather, Cedeno consistent throughout the round. 10-9 Cedeno, 87-84 Tucker.
RD10 – Cedeno boxed his ears off from distance. Should have fought the whole fight this way. 10-9 Cedeno, 96-94 Tucker.
Official scores: 95-95, 97-93, 98-92, Tucker
