The 2026 boxing schedule gets roaring for real this weekend with multiple major championship fights around the world. One of the best matchups is flying under the radar as WBO Junior Middleweight champion Xander Zayas goes for his second belt against WBA belt holder Abass Baraou in a unification showdown Saturday, January 31, at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in Zayas’ hometown of San Juan.
Given the impressive history of great boxing champions from Puerto Rico, Zayas vs Baraou is only the second men’s unification clash ever held in Puerto Rico. Do you recall the first? (We’ll tell you at the end). Zayas now has the opportunity to become the youngest active unified champion at age 23, and the first Puerto Rican to achieve this in front of his hometown fans.
Xayas vs Baraou will be broadcast on the Top Rank Classics FAST channel starting at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT, with the welterweight co-feature between Rohan “El Rayo” Polanco and Christian Gomez set for 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Zayas vs. Baraou will begin at approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
To watch on mobile or desktop, visit trboxing.co/TopRankClassics. To watch on your smart TV, check the availability of FAST channel apps and search for Top Rank Classics on The Roku Channel, Tubi, or Vizio.
Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) won regional titles in 2022, and made six defenses to position himself as the WBO mandatory challenger. He outpointed Jorge Garcia in July to win his title, becoming the youngest world champion at the time.
Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs) enjoyed a solid amateur career before turning pro in 2018. He won the WBA interim title with a surprise upset of Cuban rising star Yoenis Tellez in August and was elevated to full champion the following month when Terence Crawford retired. Baraou scored a dramatic knockdown of Tellez in the 12th round to take the win.
Xander Zayas: “Best Opportunity of My Career”
Credit belongs to both Zayas and Baraou for moving right into a unification fight after holding their titles for just a few months. It’s what fans want to see, and they know it.
“This is the only fight (this weekend) where you’ll have two world titles on the line,” said Zayas at Thursday’s final news conference. “It’s the only fight where you’ll see two champions putting everything on the line to become a unified champion. Tune in because there will be fireworks, and I’m going to make history one more time.”
“It’s a hard fight, a great challenge as well, and that’s what I’m looking for. We’re sitting here, both of us, writing history. How can you say no to that?” said Baraou. “I’m an experienced fighter. I have a great amateur background. And I’ve come to Puerto Rico to put it all on the line. We know that Zayas is fast and talented. So, as a boxing fan myself, I feel this is a great fight to watch. Tune in to see how I pull this off.”
Zayas said taking the fight was all about legacy for him.
“Everybody is used to seeing champions take softer touches for their first defense,” acknowledged Zayas. “But because I’m going back to my island, I needed to do something big and give something special to the fans. Baraou is also making his first defense, so we’ll see two young fighters who want to show that big unification fights are still possible.”
All fighters say they’ve had the best camp of their career. For the young champion, Zayas says it’s because he sees growth at age 23.
I’ve grown so much physically and mentally. I can see it in how I look when I spar, how I feel during training, and how hard I’m pushing myself. It’s time to make history!”
Zayas describes Baraou as a fight who’s underestimated because fans outside Europe aren’t familiar with him. He known Baraou due to previous sparring sessions, and won’t make that mistake.
“I’ve shared the ring with him several times in sparring. I know what he brings, and he knows what I bring, so it’s going to be a big test for both of us on January 31.
“We’ve prepared for a warrior, someone who won’t stop coming forward. We know he’s going to throw a lot of punches. He’s not a better boxer, faster, smarter, or stronger, but he does have a lot of heart.”
Abass Baraou: “I Break Down Fighters”
Baraou is on an eight-fight win streak since a disputed split decision loss to Jack Culcay. His last five bouts have been on his opponent’s home turf, and it will be no different on Saturday. Baraou has been training in Miami in preparation for Zayas.
Baraou says he hasn’t shown what he’s capable of yet. “I know how to adapt. If I have to fight more technically, I can. I know how to box. However, most of the time, I break down fighters. I can do that best. But it also depends on the situation. I can also show more skills.”
The German considers his ability to pressure his opponents his best weapon.
“Coming forward is something I do well,” said Baraou. Many fighters have issues with pressure. I haven’t seen a fighter who can stand a chance with mine yet. So, I know I can bring a lot of pressure in this fight. But we’ll see. That might be the key in this fight. We’ll see on fight night.”
Like Zayas, Baraou has respect for the man he’ll see across the ring on Saturday.
“Xander is very talented. He has a lot of skills. I’ve shared the ring with him many times. We’ve sparred a couple of times, so I know he has good footwork and lots of skills. But I’ve put the work in, and I’m ready to go to Puerto Rico and become a unified champion.” Baraou says fighting in Puerto Rico doesn’t matter to him, and he’d have the same mindset if the fight was in Germany.
Baraou describes himself as a man on a mission. “Becoming a champion has made me hungrier. It hasn’t changed my personal life. I’m still focused on boxing. But seeing all the opportunities and the fights that can be made is amazing. It’s made me more focused and hungrier,” said Baraou.
As he did against Tellez, Baraou said he must find a way to empty the tank against Zayas. “I don’t know where that came from — don’t ask me — but I’m determined when I’m on a mission.
“Respect to him for taking this fight. It’s a risky fight for both of us, of course. He and his people are great people. There’s nothing bad I can say about them. We said we’d meet at the top (someday), and we didn’t know it would come so fast.”
“There are completely different things at stake for both of us, but I have respect for Abass and his team,” said Zayas, who added that sparring won’t change things when the bell sounds on Saturday.
Undercard Features Polanco, Lopez De Jesus
In the co-main event, welterweights Rohan Polanco of the Dominican Republic (17-0, 10 KOs) and Christian Gomez of Mexico (23-6-1, 21 KOs) are scheduled for ten rounds. Polanco hopes to get a win leading to a title fight later in 2026, but Gomez will try to derail his plans, saying he and his team have different strategies and will adjust as needed.
Puerto Rican junior bantamweight prospect Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight Conner Goade of Florence, Arizona (8-4-2, 7 KOs) in a bout scheduled for six rounds. Lopez De Jesus is the 20-year-old son of former featherweight and junior featherweight titlist Juan Manuel Lopez.
The undercard will also include the return of former title challenger Giovani Santillan of San Diego (34-1, 18 KOs), making his debut at super welterweight, along with the return of rising middleweight Euri Cedeño (13-0-1, 12 KOs), a Dominican stablemate of Polanco, in separate ten-round bouts.
First Unification Fight in Puerto Rico: Calderon vs Segura
Did you get it right? The first major unification boxing event in Puerto Rico was in 2010, when WBO Light Flyweight champion Ivan Calderon and WBA/IBF champion Giovani Segura took place at the same venue for Saturday’s fight, the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. Segura defeated hometown favorite Calderon by eighth-round knockout. If Zayas wins, he will be the first Puerto Rican to unify titles at home.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist and the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). She is the Managing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.