Xander Zayas Faces Abass Baraou In Unification Battle

 It's a homecoming and the hometown boy better beware of party spoilers!

 Xander Zayas enters his upcoming unification fight with a level of familiarity that is unusual at the world title stage. The WBO junior middleweight champion will face WBA titleholder Abass Baraou on January 31 in a scheduled twelve round bout at 154 pounds. The two have spent extended time sparring earlier in their careers, giving each fighter a working understanding of the other’s tendencies. Zayas has been clear that he does not expect those training sessions to fully translate on fight night. While acknowledging the value of shared rounds, he has stressed that competitive stakes often produce different versions of fighters. “Sparring is sparring,” Zayas said in comments to Boxing Social. “You can take feedback from it, but the real fight is different.” The contest will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, providing Zayas with a home setting at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot. Whether that environment proves decisive remains open, particularly against a pressure based opponent like Baraou. Zayas has historically relied on movement, distance control, and clinching to manage aggressive fighters, an approach that featured heavily in his most recent title win. In July, Zayas secured the vacant WBO belt with a unanimous decision victory over Jorge Garcia Perez. That fight was marked by frequent tie ups and lateral movement, limiting sustained exchanges. While the approach drew mixed reactions from viewers, it aligned with the tactical framework Zayas has used consistently since turning professional. The question heading into January 31 is how Baraou responds if a similar pattern develops. Zayas has described Baraou as an aggressive fighter who is often overlooked due to limited exposure in the United States, while also noting that familiarity cuts both ways. “I know what he brings to the table,” Zayas said. “And I know he knows what I bring.” Baraou enters the fight off a significant win last August, when he defeated Yoenis Tellez by unanimous decision to solidify his WBA position. In that bout, Baraou applied sustained pressure and inside volume, gradually wearing down Tellez over twelve rounds. The winner of the unification will emerge with increased leverage in a crowded junior middleweight division that includes figures such as Jaron Ennis, Sebastian Fundora, and Tim Tszyu. How the styles intersect on January 31 is likely to determine how quickly those options materialize.