Xander Zayas’ Next Move

“The date was October the 11th in Philadelphia for a fight purse that Eddie [Hearn] knows is derisory [ridiculously] low. It was less than half of what Josh has been paid for a 10-round bout, and Eddie knows that. The fact that he’s gone straight to the media rather than speaking to me…He said, ‘We need an answer within 24 hours because we have other options.’

“Within an hour, I saw it popping up all over social media. So, I said, ‘Okay, Eddie is trying the old tested route of using the media to pressure someone to take a fight for money he knows isn’t the right money. If Eddie is serious about making that fight, he has to speak to me and make a serious offer,” Adam Booth (Kelly’s trainer) stated

“I think Zayas vs. Jaron Ennis would be a terrific fight. That would be really good. Ennis is a really good fighter. That would be a major fight,” Arum said 

Alternatives

If Zayas cannot get the Ennis fight, there are other options out there. Erickson Lubin is eyeing the WBO champion. Lubin has only boxed once for a world title when he faced Jermell Charlo in 2017. Unfortunately, he was knocked out in the first round as he missed out on the WBC Junior Middleweight Title. However, since that loss, Lubin has found his form.

Lubin won nine from his next ten fights, including a recent win against Ardreal Holmes Jr. The Holmes Jr. win made Lubin the No. 1 ranked fighter in the IBF junior middleweight rankings. He could target the full champion Bakhram Murtazaliev, although Josh Kelly also wants that fight. However, since Lubin is ranked No. 5 by the WBO, he could eventually become Zayas’ mandatory challenger if he continues to win.