Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou previewed their fight and faced off at a launch press conference. The two champions clash for the unified super welterweight titles on Saturday, January 31, at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Making his hometown ring appearance, newly crowned WBO champion Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) makes the first defense of the title he claimed against Jorge Garcia in July. The undefeated 23-year-old said the upcoming fight with former sparring partner Baraou will be the biggest night of his life.
“It’s an honor to represent where I’m from, to represent my people, to represent Puerto Rico, and to put the pride of the island where it belongs, at the top,” Xander Zayas said. “If you can dream it, you can do it. That’s my message to them. We come from the same place, and there’s nothing we can’t do if we put in the work and we put the dedication in.”
“January 31 will be the biggest night of my life, but [the win over Garcia] was really special. You only become a world champion for the first time once, and that was my moment.”
“Sparring is sparring, and you cannot mix that up with a fight. It’s completely different. There are completely different things at stake for both of us, but I have respect for Abass and his team. They’ve always been great people to us and have always been willing to help us when we needed help. We were able to help them every time they needed a hand, so it’s a very exciting fight for both of us, a lot on the line for both of us.”
“Our first title defense, to be for a unified championship, I feel like it’s very special. Like he said, we’re writing history.”
“Those legends wrote history for Puerto Rico. They are legends in the sport and on the island. And for me, to represent Puerto Rico at the highest level and bring glory to my people means the world to me. That’s what I do it for. I do it for my people, my family, my team, and I’m really excited and happy to be here January 31.”
“After the fight, I slept with it for like a week. It’s everything that I dreamed of, everything that I worked for, everything that I dedicated my life to. We’re here to put on a show for Puerto Rico and on the island. There’s no better way of doing it than unifying and rewriting history one more time.”
‘It’s a risky fight for both of us’
Germany’s Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs), who won the interim WBA title against Yoenis Tellez in August and was later elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford vacated the belt, also makes his first championship defense. The 31-year-old said his upcoming clash with Zayas will be a hard fight and a great challenge.
“That was a special fight for me [against Tellez],” Abass Baraou said. “I knew I was going into enemy territory. I’m a man on a mission. I just had to empty the tank and find a little bit more strength to put him down as well. I don’t know where that came from – don’t ask me – but I’m determined when I’m on a mission. I’m willing to do any job.”
“I’m the man for the job. It’s not the first time I’m doing this. I’m on a mission, and I’m willing to go anywhere to accomplish my dream, my goals. Coming to Puerto Rico to face Xander was an easy decision for me to make. 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?”
“Sparring is different than a fight. It might help, it might not. We will find out on fight night. Xander is a great talent. 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 exchanged words. We said we’d meet at the top, and we didn’t know it would come so fast.”
“I’m looking for great challenges. Going into my last fight, I didn’t look past it. I just wanted to beat the guy. Then, Xander came into the ring, and it came to my mind that it would be a great challenge. Then, I was told that I had to go to Puerto Rico, and that was an extra motivation. Also, writing history for Germany… everywhere I look, I get motivated. I come here, I see the arena, and it’s going to be full of Puerto Ricans. I’m fully prepared for that. I can’t wait for fight night. It’s like music to my ears.”
Also in attendance at the press conference was Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (4-0, 2 KOs), who battles on the Zayas vs Baraou undercard. The unbeaten southpaw from Caguas, Puerto Rico, is set to kick off 2026 facing a to-be-named opponent at super flyweight.
“I always dreamed of fighting at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico,” Juanmita Lopez De Jesus said. “So, it’s an opportunity to bring the people who enjoyed this type of fight, like Cotto and ‘Tito’ Trinidad. It’s going to be a great night for Puerto Rico.”
“We want to do the same thing [as Zayas] and be a young world champion, make everyone from Puerto Rico proud. That’s the goal.”
“My father [former two-division world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez] is my favorite fighter, so I want to be like him in the future. Be a solid champion, and that’s the goal. Be like him and make my last name proud.”
Other bouts on the Zayas vs Baraou undercard are expected to be confirmed shortly.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, November 14, at 10 a.m. AST / 9 a.m. ET via Ticketera.com, according to a Top Rank announcement.