Among those intrigued by the fight is former WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman. Zayas defends his WBA and WBO 154-pound titles against Ennis in Brooklyn, New York, on DAZN PPV and as part of the DAZN Ultimate Plan. 

“I can definitely tell you that it's about to be a cold one,” Norman told The Ring. “You got the champion, Xander Zayas, and of course, he ain't gonna give it up easy. You got Jaron Ennis coming in hungry. He got to prove himself. He trying to show everybody I am the one. I'm the one y'all supposed to be watching out for. I'm the one that everybody was ducking and dodging. I'm the one that's going to take over the whole game. 

“It's a whole bunch of battle of personalities, battle of ego, and battle of pride, and then it's also in Brooklyn, and I believe that's where Xander Zayas likes to fight the most, so it's gonna be a hot one.”

Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) has previously fought in New York eight times, and will be doing so for the fifth time in his last six fights when he faces Ennis. The Puerto Rican will be fighting in Brooklyn for the first time, having fought at Madison Square Garden Theater in seven of his eight fights in New York. 

Zayas, 23, has rapidly ascended to unified champion status. The San Juan native won the then-vacant WBO title in July with a unanimous decision victory over Jorge Garcia Perez in New York. He followed that up by outpointing Abass Baraou in January in Puerto Rico to win the WBA belt and become the youngest unified champion in boxing. 

Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) was the Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight champion before moving up to 154 pounds. In his lone fight at junior middleweight, the 28-year-old from Philadelphia dropped Uisma Lima twice en route to a first-round stoppage in October in his hometown. 

Zayas is The Ring’s No. 3 junior middleweight, while Ennis is No. 5.

Ennis versus Norman was once the clear-cut fight to decide the best welterweight in the world, as it would have been a unification title bout in 2025 before the former moved up in weight. Both fighters traded words and called each other out in post-fight interviews and press conferences. Norman, of Decatur, Georgia, still hopes he can face Ennis when he moves up to junior middleweight. 

Norman (29-1, 23 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2 welterweight, rebounded from losing his WBO title by unanimous decision to Devin Haney in November by stopping Josh Wagner in the second round on May 16.

“I want to fight all the top guys in general,” Norman said. “One day, I know I will move up also, and if he’s still there, we can make that thing happen."