“I'm going to rip his heart out. I'm going to take him somewhere he's never been. He's never faced anyone like me before,” Zayas told The Ring in an interview on Tuesday, one day after their fight was announced for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, to headline a DAZN PPV event.

“Everything [makes Ennis beatable]. He's never been uncomfortable. He's always had it his way against fighters who put up a little fight and then quit. When you have a young champion like me who is ready to go in there and risk everything, that's scary. Now, he has me in front of him. He's going to have to adjust, because he's going to get really uncomfortable come fight night.

“He's a good fighter, but I don't think he's a great fighter. He will try, and I know he will come prepared, but I know he will fail as the other 23 fighters have before against me.”

The 23-year-old Zayas’ confidence is at an all-time high after beating Abass Baraou for the WBA title in January, Jorge Garcia Perez for the vacant WBO title in July and Slawa Spomer in an 11-month stretch.

Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) had the leverage to pick any route he preferred in a loaded weight class but sought the smoke in Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) after Boots’ long-planned fight against Vergil Ortiz fell apart.

“Everyone is buzzing about this fight, and this is the biggest fight of 2026 thus far,” said Zayas. “It was important to make this fight because for me to say that ‘I am the best,’ I have to face the best. Jaron Ennis is one of the best names in the division alongside other fighters, and me. On June 27, I will show why I am the best 154-pounder in the world.”

Zayas is ranked No. 3 by The Ring at 154 pounds; Ennis is rated fifth.

Ennis fired the first missive on Monday, saying that he “doesn’t see much” in Zayas and is going to have his way with him once they step inside the ring.

Zayas isn’t concerned with the zinger.

“That's fair. That's the way he should think,” said Zayas. “If he didn't think that way, he wouldn't be a fighter. It's the same way for me. He's going to feel uncomfortable. It's easy for him facing guys he's bigger and more athletic than. I'm just as big, athletic, composed and smart, it's a whole different story.”

Zayas said that he’ll soon reveal the surprise sparring partners he has in store to mimic the elite skills of the switch-hitting Ennis while training with coach Javiel Centeno at the Sweatbox Boxing Gym in Davie, Florida.

“We're not going to mention it until everyone sees it. It's going to be something special for everybody,” said Zayas.

As for the grand finale on fight night, before attempting to rip Ennis’ heart out, Zayas might also pull a rabbit out of a hat and tug at the heartstrings of his faithful Puerto Rican fans by potentially having his friend and internationally acclaimed artist, Bad Bunny, accompany him for an electric ring entrance.

“We'll work behind the scenes to see what happens," said Zayas. "It depends on his schedule. He's a working man and the best artist in the world right now – we'll see.

“But on June 27, Jaron Ennis will see why I am the unified junior middleweight champion of the world.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.