Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!

MIAMI, Fla. (Jan. 15, 2026) — WBA junior middleweight world champion Abass Barou is once again embracing his road warrior status.

Baraou, who was born in Germany and is of Togolese descent, will attempt to unify titles against Puerto Rican sensation and WBO champ Xander Zayas on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in Zayas' hometown of San Juan. The 31-year-old believes his ability to adapt, not the partisan Zayas crowd, will dictate how the fight unfolds.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with ICON+, Move Concerts, and Noah Assad Presents, tickets are on sale and can be purchased via Ticketera.com.

Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs) entered the paid ranks in 2018 after a standout amateur career, spending much of the next seven years plying his trade, mostly in Europe. The groundwork paid off last August in Orlando, Florida, when he overwhelmed then-WBA interim champion Yoenis Tellez, scoring a final-round knockdown en route to a unanimous points verdict. The following month, Baraou was elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford vacated the title.

Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 and became a world champion less than two months shy of his 23rd birthday by decisioning Mexican puncher Jorge Garcia last July. He now headlines only the second-ever title unification fight on Puerto Rican soil.

Following a recent training session in Miami, this is what Baraou had to say:

“I haven’t shown what I’m capable of yet. I have a lot of experience from my amateur career. 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.”

“Coming forward is something I do well. 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.”

“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.”

“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."

"I will always be myself in the ring. Even if the fight were in Germany, I’d have the same mindset. I don’t care where the fight is. There’s a man I have to beat to accomplish my goals. The fight is in Puerto Rico, but it doesn’t add more pressure.”