On January 31, the Coliseo José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, will play host to a extremely anticipated tremendous welterweight unification bout between World Boxing Affiliation (WBA) champion Abass Baraou and the WBO titleholder, hometown favourite Xander Zayas. The German champion might be making the primary protection of his WBA belt, whereas the unbeaten Puerto Rican places his good document on the road in a combat loaded with expectations.
Baraou captured the WBA title in 2025 with a unanimous choice victory over Cuba’s Yoenis Téllez, a win that additionally handed Téllez the primary lack of his skilled profession. The one blemish on Baraou’s document got here again in 2020, when he dropped an in depth break up choice to Jack Culcay. Since then, he has put collectively an eight-fight profitable streak, capped by the triumph that earned him his first world title on the Caribe Royale in Orlando.
Throughout the ring might be Xander Zayas, undefeated in 22 skilled fights, all victories, with 13 coming by means of knockout. Extensively thought to be one of many high skills within the division, Zayas fought twice in 2025, scoring a knockout over Slawa Spomer and a unanimous choice win towards Jorge García Pérez. Towards Baraou, he might be making the primary protection of his WBO title whereas aiming to unify the belts.
Combating in Puerto Rico provides Zayas a slight edge, bolstered by the power of a house crowd. He additionally brings appreciable expertise on main playing cards, most of them staged at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York. Baraou, in the meantime, is set to show that his 2025 WBA title run was no fluke and that he belongs on the very high of the tremendous welterweight division.
