“Yeah, I’m favoring Xander 100%,” said Ortiz to MillCity Boxing. “I just see his work ethic, and he got a great coach, too. I think he’s going to be able to pull it off.
“And, yeah, I fought Boots, too. That was a long time ago, but he’s definitely savvy as well and crafty in the ring. So, hopefully he’s able to. We’ll see if he gets to land any of those shots on Xander.
“I think a lot of people underestimate Xander’s abilities. I think they’re going more for the flashy stuff, what they see with Boots, and they’re putting more weight on the flashiness than the actual efficiency of Xander.”
Many observers have predicted an Ennis victory by stoppage, but Ortiz doesn’t see the fight ending that way.
“There’s no way. I don’t think that’s going to end in knockout. No, Boots ain’t knocking Xander out. I’ll tell you that right now,” said Jamaine. “He’s a big kid.”
Ortiz said Zayas’ physical development since turning professional is being overlooked by some fans.
“You talking about 16, those are your growing years. Men, you keep growing till you’re like 26, 28. He’s still young. He’s still going to keep growing.”
The former lightweight contender also pointed to Zayas’ technical foundation as a major strength heading into the fight.
“I think he’s actually able to move a lot and have good pivots and stuff like that,” said Ortiz. “The flashiness of Jaron is overshadowing all of Xander’s work. You know when you just see all this style, it takes away from the fundamentals. His fundamentals are spot on.”
When asked for his final prediction, Ortiz didn’t leave much room for doubt.
“I’m going to say unanimous.”
Ennis and WBA and WBO junior middleweight champion Zayas are scheduled to meet on June 27 on DAZN PPV in one of the year’s most anticipated fights, with the unbeaten rivals set to collide after years of fan demand for the matchup.
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