Xander Zayas outclasses Abass Baraou to unify WBO, WBA titles with sensational performance

Xander Zayas showed he’s one of the fastest-improving champions in recent years as he unified his WBO championship with Abass Baraou’s WBA title Saturday night in a super welterweight thriller.

It all went down at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with both fighters putting forward a technical masterclass, until the boy Top Rank signed as a 16-year-old showcased the man he has now become in front of his native fans. In doing so, Zayas became the youngest unified male world champion in boxing’s current landscape.

Zayas, 23, demonstrated astute shot selection and solid combination punching, but it was his footwork in particular that belied his years. Combined, it was enough for a split decision win (116-112, 116-112, 112-116) over Baraou, who was overcome with emotion at the result.

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Really, Zayas deserved more. And with this display, it may have been enough to show that he’s not simply a fighter who holds a title — but a champion who can trouble the best the division has to offer, regardless if your name is Vergil Ortiz Jr., whom he called out in his post-fight victory speech, or Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

The event, which aired on Top Rank’s Classics channel on Roku, wasn’t just a showcase for Zayas, but for Puerto Rican prospects too. Juanma Lopez Jr. — the son of the famous fighter of the same name — overcame Conner Russell Goade by unanimous decision, Carlos Castro defeated Dihul Olguin by sixth round knockout, and Yadriel Caban showed he’s a novice to track with his first-round finish of Jeremis Hernandez-Torres.

Check out complete Zayas vs. Baraou results and highlights below, as well as Uncrowned’s play-by-play of the entire main card.

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Fight card

WBO/WBA super welterweight titles: Xander Zayas def. Abass Baraou via split decision (116-112, 116-112, 112-116)

Super welterweight: Giovani Santillan def. Courtney Pennington via unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93, 96-94)

Middleweight: Euri Cedeno def. Etoundi Michel William via unanimous decision (100-88 x 3)

Super flyweight: Juanma Lopez De Jesus def. Conner Russell Goade via unanimous decision (60-53 x 3)

Super featherweight: Carlos Jamil De Leon Castro def. Dihul Olguin via sixth-round TKO

Super flyweight: Yadriel Caban Gerena def. Jeremis Hernandez-Torres via first-round KO | Watch finish

Live coverage is over58 updates

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 8:11 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas, full of confidence, tells Oscar de la Hoya that he can see he sells out Puerto Rican venues and invites Vergil Ortiz, or even Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, to fight him on the island.

  Zayas now has two of the four major super welterweight championships, and likely holds the keys to the division — for this year, at least.

  And, based off tonight’s performance, he deserves it.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 8:09 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Woah!

  One judge has it 116-112 for Baraou, which is… a surprise.

  But they’re overruled by the other two judges who scored it 116-112 to Zayas!

  Great performance from Zayas!!!

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 8:07 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  WHAT A FIGHT! What a way to finish, and what a step-up performance from Zayas!

  Round 12: 116-112 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 8:03 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas makes decisions that enamor himself further to fight fans as, though he could coast, he continues to fight, even if he loses a momentum round with Baraou pulling one back. It’s likely too little, too late, unless judges it have it far closer than Uncrowned.

  Round 11: 106-103 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:59 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas continues to showcase his elevated technique, much to the delight of his own fans, who cheer his footwork, and the angles he finds to leverage the right punch at the right time. Baraou has his moments but Zayas just seems to remain a level above in parts of the fight in which it matters most. Zayas has never boxed as mature.

  Round 10: 97-93 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:56 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas reaches peak flow in the ninth, unleashing combination after combination against an opponent in Baraou who cannot keep up — and, in truth, in this form, few at 154 pounds may be able to. Zayas, once considered a weak link as contenders like Vergil Ortiz and Jaron Ennis threaten his crown, has shown, tonight, that he can’t just hang with other champions like Baraou but, perhaps, Ortiz and Ennis, too.

  Round 9: 87-84 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:50 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas battles back and exploits Baraou who looks to control the distance. This is an in-form, incredible Zayas, who refuses to let Abass get close to him in this fight, let alone lose it.

  Round 8: 77-75 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:43 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Baraou picks up the pace in the seventh and it’s an activity level that concerned Zayas. Great swing round.

  Round 7: 67-66 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:40 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas signed a Top Rank contract when he was still only 16 years old and has grown up before Bob Arum and Carl Moretti’s eyes to this point, not just a world champion, but a titleholder seeking to unify, and showcasing his skills on a level we’ve not seen before. This is extraordinarily fluid work from him, taking the sixth.

  Round 6: 58-56 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:32 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Right hand and a left hook from Zayas, varying his flurrying in the fifth, catching Baraou off-guard. Zayas is at home, literally in Puerto Rico, and figuratively in the ring — but he’s not punch-perfect. Baraou lands a right hand — a shot he’s attacked Zayas with again and again. Zayas finishes with uppercuts but Baraou isn’t going anywhere. This fight is heating up, people! Baraou hits back. There’s that right hand again! He’s in this fight!

  Round 5: 48-47 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:29 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas double jabs, lands powerful shots on Baraou’s face. Zayas has style, good movement, great footwork.

  Round 4: 39-38 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:26 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Baraou pumps a solid jab into Zayas’s mouth, pushing his head back with ease, early in the third. Baraou leads with the left hook and catches Zayas out, closing the gap with a strong round.

  Round 3: 29-28 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:22 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Zayas maintained his comfort level in the second round, switching from the body to the head, and doing enough to double his lead.

  Round 2: 20-18 — Zayas.

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:16 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  This is a highly-technical but gripping fight already, just one minute into the opening round. Zayas looks comfortable boxing behind a good jab and thunderous rips to the body. What’s more impressive, is that Zayas mostly does this on the move to avoid Baraou’s responses.

  Round 1: 10-9 — Zayas

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 7:12 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Xander Zayas walks to the ring and it’s a carnival! He has the crowd in his hands, the first time these Puerto Rican fans have seen him make a walk on their island for six years, and he does so in a world title unification fight. The atmosphere is incredible! We need more big fights in one of boxing’s hotbeds!

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 6:54 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  After six rounds of slugging, Juanmita takes the decision 60-53 on all three scorecards! A quality win, with Lopez now advancing his pro record to 5-0 as a prospect!

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 6:47 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Junamita, cut from the left eye, refuses to throw anything less than full velocity. He winds up with right hands, punishing Goade with body shots. This is a bad man in a brutal fight!

  Few promoters in all combat sports are as successful and prolific at finding talent and developing talent than Top Rank — and they look like they’ve done it again with JuanMa Lopez Mk2!

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 6:37 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  And, boy, do this crowd love the JuanMa Lopez name!

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 6:17 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Olguin complains, and the Top Rank commentators dispute the decision, but the referee calls it! In the last round, too! Castro throws six shots, another two, it’s clobbering time for the fast-rising Puerto Rican, and with all the blood gushing, the referee stepped in and called it off. Castro finished an old, wily veteran!

• Sat, January 31, 2026 at 6:13 PM PST

  Alan Dawson

  Castro and Olguin go back and forth in the fifth! Olguin has to be careful, too, as he’s leaking blood all over Castro’s back whenever they box inside. This is a gross but gripping fight!

  Round 5: 50-45 — Castro.