Lamont Roach has weighed in on the upcoming clash between Xander Zayas and Jaron Ennis. He described it as the kind of fight that can help elevate boxing back to its peak.
Zayas is set to defend his unified WBO and WBA super welterweight titles against Ennis at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 27. The matchup has already drawn significant attention, with two of the division’s top names meeting at a relatively early stage of their careers.
In his recent appearance on FightHype, Roach was asked about his thoughts on Zayas vs. ‘Boots’. He emphasized the need for top fighters to face each other while they are still in their prime.
“I think that’s a fight that needs to happen so boxing can flourish like it did back in the day,” Roach said.
While acknowledging that recent years have seen improvements in matchmaking, he believes fights like Zayas vs. Ennis are essential to sustaining that momentum.
“We’re getting a lot of good fights… especially the last couple years we’ve been getting matchups that normally wouldn’t have happened prior to about three or four years ago.”
Roach pointed out that both fighters are young and at the peak of their abilities, making the timing of the bout particularly significant.
“They’re both young and they’re both at the top of their career right now and that’s how it’s supposed to happen.”
Roach hails Zayas vs Ennis
To underline his point, Roach referenced some of boxing’s most iconic rivalries, where elite fighters faced each other at their best.
“You got to think like[Marvin] Hagler and [Thomas] Hearns, Sugar Ray [Leonard] and [Roberto] Duran… fights like those.”
According to Roach, those matchups defined eras in boxing, and he believes modern fights like Zayas vs Ennis can follow a similar path if the sport continues in that direction.
Roach also suggested that, regardless of the result, both fighters stand to benefit from taking part in such a high-level contest.
“I think whoever wins or whoever prospers from that fight continues on their legacy,” he said.
“And I think the loser wouldn’t necessarily fall off but just continue back on the path that they was on until they meet again.”
His comments reflect a broader belief that elite competition strengthens fighters’ careers rather than damaging them.
In his most recent bout against Abbas Baraou, past January, Zayas etched his name in boxing history. He secured a split decision victory to become the youngest unified champion at just 23 years old.
Meanwhile, in his last fight, Ennis secured a stoppage win over Uisma Lima at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, last October.
With both Zayas and Ennis already promising to deliver, the fight has all the ingredients of a major event.