Xander Zayas Headlines Unification Bout Against Abass Baraou

Xander Zayas will face Abass Baraou on Saturday night in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a super welterweight title unification bout. Zayas holds the WBO belt, while Baraou enters as the WBA champion. The fight headlines a Top Rank Classics card streaming on the Roku Channel, with the broadcast beginning at 5.30 p.m. ET and the main event expected later in the evening.

It is a fight Zayas must use to show fans whether he has the toughness and depth to move past the view some people have of him as a carefully manufactured fighter. That perception was formed after his title win last July, when he clinched, moved, and spoiled his way to a painfully dull decision over Jorge Garcia Perez.

Fans on social media had a field day criticizing Zayas’ performance, labeling him ‘unwatchable.’ Now, he’s got the WBO belt, and it’s going to be interesting to see how long he can hold onto it with his fighting style. Zayas lacks power and has never shown much desire to fight in the trenches in toe to toe battles.

There are now questions whether Xander has it in him to stand and fight Abass without resorting to frequent holding and moving endlessly.

The event will also be available on Tubi and Vizio through the same FAST channel setup. Despite the stakes, the fight lands in a difficult window. It runs opposite the Teofimo Lopez versus Shakur Stevenson pay per view from Madison Square Garden, limiting visibility for a unification that would otherwise command more attention.

Baraou arrives off a strong August performance against Yoenis Tellez, a fight in which he applied steady pressure and controlled exchanges. He does not wait for openings and does not rely on opponents to slow the pace. His approach tests discipline over rounds rather than moments.

Stylistically, the matchup is clear. Baraou works forward and forces volume. Zayas prefers measured pacing, combination punching, and positional control. The question is whether Zayas can manage tempo without resorting to survival tactics if pressure builds.

The undercard includes appearances by Giovani Santillan and Rohan Polanco. The main event remains a quiet but meaningful fight. Two belts are on the line. The winner leaves with leverage in a crowded division.