Abass Baraou recently won against Tellez and rose to become WBA world champion. The next test awaits in San Juan with Zayas – and the German wants to crash another party.
On January 31, 2026, WBA world middleweight champion Abass Baraou will box against WBO champion Xander Zayas in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At stake is the title unification at 154 pounds. Baraou travels as the underdog, but he doesn’t look like a man just tagging along.
The 31-year-old comes from Berlin and gained a lot of experience in Europe before making his breakthrough in the USA. In August, he won the interim WBA title against Yoenis Tellez. He sent the Cuban to the floor in round twelve and scored a clear points victory. A short time later, he is promoted to regular champion because Terence Crawford relinquishes his belt.
Baraou describes winning the title as a driving force. “Being champion makes me hungrier,” he says. His everyday life won’t change, he emphasizes, but the opportunities excite him. He announces that he wants to show more than before: “I haven’t shown what I can do yet.” His self-image is clear. He sees himself as a boxer who breaks fights when he sets the pace, even if he can box technically if the situation demands it.
Home game with a must-win character
From Zayas’ point of view, the evening is a test of his standing – and at the same time a home game with a must-win character. The WBO champion knows that Baraou is not a “name to tick off” because his victory over Tellez shows how unpleasant he can be over twelve rounds. Zayas will therefore focus on controlling the pace and punishing Baraou’s forward momentum with footwork, timing and clear punches to prevent the German from finding his rhythm. In front of his own crowd, he wants to prove that his title is not a product of chance, but the starting point of an era in which he wants to leave his mark on the limit.
Text by Robin Josten