Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) was all in for a fight against Vergil Ortiz Jr. since late last year, but eventually moved on to an equally satisfying matchup against Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) once Ortiz became entangled in a legal battle with Golden Boy Promotions.

Once Ennis realized the Ortiz fight had fallen apart, he instructed his team to zero in on Zayas.

"I'm glad they got it done. I'm excited. I'm ready to show out,” Ennis told YSM Sports Media shortly after the fight was announced on Monday. “This fight kind of evened out to the Vergil Ortiz situation. Yes, Vergil has the name but doesn't have the accolades. Xander is a unified champion who's making a name for himself.

"He's a young champion and could have gone a different route and taken an easier fight. He's a good fighter and has good fundamentals. He's smart at times. I appreciate him for giving me the opportunity. But I don't really see much. I am taking over. This is my division. It doesn't matter what he does or brings to the table.”

Ennis, the former IBF, WBA and Ring welterweight champion, made his 154-pound debut by stopping the outmatched Uisma Lima in one round in October. Ennis is ranked No. 5 by The Ring at 154 pounds but considers himself the top dog in the division despite the small sample size.

“The Lima fight was my foot in the door, and now we're about to go through and ransack the crib, take the jewelry, and go on to the next crib,” said Ennis.

“To be real, I am the biggest name at 154. Everyone knows that, and everyone knows they are going to make the most money fighting me. I'm the cash cow at 154, and they will see.”

Zayas, who is rated No. 3 in the division by The Ring, is embracing the dangerous encounter against the incredibly talented Ennis after scoring titles in back-to-back fights against Jorge Garcia Perez in July and Abass Baraou in January.

Zayas, 23, and Ennis, 28, both present each other with the toughest tests in each other’s careers.

“Every time they say, 'this is my biggest test,' I make it look easy,” said Ennis. “Nobody is doing what I am doing. Y'all are about to see what's going to happen. I am tired of playing games. I really try not to talk too much, but they'll see.

“This fight is going to end however I want it to end. I am having my way with these guys.

“I'm stamping my legacy. I'm going to continue to show the world why I am the best. This boxing game is mine, straight like that.”