Zayas vs. Baraou Unification Bout Set for Jan. 31, 2026 in San Juan

Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou, the reigning WBO and WBA junior middleweight champions respectively, will clash in a title unification bout on January 31, 2026, at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 12-round showdown marks the first title defense for both unbeaten fighters and serves as a homecoming for the 23-year-old Zayas, who was born in San Juan.

Zayas, with a record of 22-0 and 13 knockouts, captured the vacant WBO belt on July 26, 2025, defeating Jorge Garcia Perez by unanimous decision in a 12-round bout at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The victory came just two months before his 23rd birthday, making him the youngest active male world champion in boxing. Baraou, 17-1 with nine knockouts, earned the WBA interim title on August 23, 2025, with a unanimous decision upset over previously undefeated Yoenis Tellez at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. He floored Tellez in the 12th round to secure the win. Three weeks later, on September 13, 2025, Terence Crawford vacated the full WBA title after defeating Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in Las Vegas, elevating Baraou to undisputed status in that sanctioning body.