January 31: Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez

Confirmed As Co-Feature To Xander Zayas-Abass Baraou Title Unification Showdown At Coliseo de Puerto Rico!

(December 18th) Rohan “El Rayo” Polanco, the Dominican welterweight with championship aspirations in 2026, looks to kick off the new year with a statement-making performance.

Polanco will take on Mexican puncher Christian Gomez in a 10-round battle on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Polanco-Gomez will serve as the co-feature to the junior middleweight world title unification showdown between WBO champ Xander Zayas and WBA king Abass Baraou.

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.

Polanco (17-0, 10 KOs) represented his country at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and signed with Top Rank the following year. Initially campaigning as a junior welterweight, he stopped the likes of Keith Hunter and Cesar Francis before moving to 147 pounds. Ranked in the top 10 by the WBO and IBF, he is closing in on a world title shot following a 2025 run that has included victories over Fabian Maidana and Quinton Randall.

Polanco said, “I’m not coming to play on January 31. I'm coming to send a strong message to the division. Fighting as the co-main event at Coliseo de Puerto Rico is a great opportunity that I intend to take advantage of. I represent Dominican boxing. I'm hungry, fearless, and determined to get closer to a world title opportunity.”

Gomez (23-6-1, 21 KOs), a 12-year pro with 30 fights, has earned nearly all of his victories by knockout. His biggest test came in May 2022, when he went the distance with Uzbek phenom Shakhram Giyasov. The 32-year-old veteran is coming off consecutive decision losses to Nicklaus Flaz and Alberto Palmetta.

The undercard will also include the junior middleweight debut of Giovani Santillan (34-1, 18 KOs), as well as the return of rising Dominican middleweight Euri Cedeño (13-0-1, 12 KOs), in separate 10-rounders.

Santillan, a former No. 1 welterweight contender, faces Courtney Pennington. The San Diego native bounced back from his May 2024 loss to Brian Norman Jr. by defeating Fredrick Lawson and Angel Beltran. The Brooklyn-born Pennington (17-11-3, 7 KOs) is a 13-year pro who has given stern tests to the likes of American Olympian Charles Conwell and Canadian contender Custio Clayton.

Cedeño steps up to take on Ivory Coast native Etoundi Michel William (16-2, 12 KOs). The 26-year-old signed with Top Rank in May and has won his last six via the fast route. William broke onto the scene with a victory over eventual world title challenger Jorge Garcia in January 2023, remaining undefeated until an October 2024 loss to Mexico’s Jose Miguel Borrego. He last fought in June, dropping a 10-round decision to top American contender Troy Isley.

Additional undercard fights will be announced in due course.

Xander Zayas vs Abass Baraou Kick Off Presser!

(November 12th) Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou kicked off their junior middleweight unification fight. The two champions, with a history of sparring 80 rounds together, discuss their strategies and the upcoming bout in Puerto Rico. Tickets go on sale November 14th.

Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou are set to face off in a highly anticipated junior middleweight title unification fight on January 31, 2026, at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan. This event marks a historic homecoming for Zayas, the youngest male world champion in boxing, who will be defending his WBO junior middleweight title.

Xander Zayas

"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. 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."

On previously sparring Baraou

"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."

On the previous boxing legends from Puerto Rico

"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."

On winning his first world title belt

"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."

Abass Baraou

On his title-winning effort over Tellez

"That was a special fight for me. 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."

On fighting Zayas in Puerto Rico

"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?"

On sparring Zayas

"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."

Juanmita Lopez De Jesus

"I always dreamed of fighting at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. 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 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."

Zayas, with an undefeated record of 22-0 and 13 knockouts, secured his belt by defeating Jorge Garcia Perez in July 2025. Abass Baraou, the WBA champion from Germany with a record of 17-1 and 9 knockouts, will be entering enemy territory as he tries to claim Zayas’ WBO title. Baraou recently rose to full WBA champion status after Terence Crawford vacated the belt and is known for his power and aggressive style. Despite facing criticism for his cautious fighting style, Zayas is determined to unify two world titles in front of his Puerto Rican fans. Baraou has expressed respect for Zayas and his home advantage but emphasized that he is coming to make a statement and prove his strength in the division.

The fight is promoted by Top Rank and is a significant event for Puerto Rican boxing, as it is only the second unification bout ever held on the island. The undercard will feature upcoming Puerto Rican talent, adding to the importance of the night for local fans. Both fighters bring contrasting styles, with Zayas relying on movement and skill, while Baraou brings power and pressure, setting up an intriguing clash at 154 pounds.

Puerto Rican star Xander Zayas, boxing’s youngest male world champion, will kick off 2026 with a historic home soil event. The 23-year-old WBO junior middleweight world champion will face WBA king Abass Baraou in a title unification fight on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This will be only the second title unification bout to take place on Puerto Rican soil, following the 2010 light flyweight battle between Ivan Calderon and Giovani Segura.

The Coliseo de Puerto Rico first hosted boxing with Miguel Cotto’s knockout over Kelson Pinto in 2004 and has since hosted world title events featuring Puerto Rican icons such as Calderon, Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, and Roman Martinez.

“From the moment Xander Zayas won his world title, it was clear that his first title defense had to take place in Puerto Rico,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “The fact that he’ll be facing a fellow champion in front of a packed arena in San Juan makes it that much more special. The Puerto Rican fans are passionate and loyal and deserve to see their champion return home. This is not a routine title defense. Abass Baraou is a determined champion, an experienced road warrior who will embrace the challenge of fighting on Xander’s home turf.”

Zayas (22-0, 13 KOs) rose from teenage prodigy to world champion before his 23rd birthday. He captured his first regional strap in August 2022 with a fifth-round stoppage of Mexican veteran Elias Espadas, then added another belt that December by outpointing Alexis Salazar. After multiple defenses, he climbed to the No. 1 spot in the WBO rankings and faced upset-minded Jorge Garcia in July at his home away from home in New York City. Zayas earned a one-sided decision just six weeks before turning 23 and less than six years after turning pro as a 17-year-old in Reno, Nevada.

“On January 31, we'll fulfill another dream. This time, I'll be fighting on my island,” Zayas said. “I'm going to unify two world titles in front of my people at Coliseo de Puerto Rico. We're going to make history together. See you there!”

Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs) spent his early childhood in his family’s native Togo before returning to Germany at age nine. A standout amateur, he won gold at the 2017 European Championships and bronze at that year’s World Championships, where he lost to two-time Olympic Gold medalist Roniel Iglesias. He turned pro in 2018 and has won eight since his lone defeat, a 2020 split decision loss to former world title challenger Jack Culcay. His breakout moment came in August when he upset Cuba’s Yoenis Tellez to capture the WBA interim title, scoring a knockdown in the closing seconds of the 12th round. He was elevated to full champion the following month after Terence Crawford vacated the title. Barou has won five consecutive fights outside of Germany, including a 2024 decision over Sam Eggington in England to capture the European title.

“Xander is a great talent, and I give him full credit for stepping up and accepting this fight. Not everyone would take that risk, especially at this stage, but that’s what makes this matchup special. He has his country behind him, and I respect that, because I know what it means to carry that responsibility into the ring,” Baraou said. “I’m preparing to go into Puerto Rico, bring some real heat, and show the world that I’m a true force in this division. I’m not coming just to show up. I’m coming to make a statement, leave with another belt, and maybe even earn a few new Puerto Rican fans on the way out. When it’s all said and done, the world will know who the top dog at 154 really is.”

The undercard will feature Puerto Rican second-generation hopeful Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (4-0, 2 KOs), the 19-year-old son of the aforementioned “Juanma.” He will see action in a six-round junior bantamweight tilt against an opponent to be named.

Juanmita made his pro debut in February with a highlight-reel first-round knockout. He fought at home in April before returning on the undercard of Zayas’ world title triumph in July. Juanmita went the six-round distance for the first time in September, outpointing Luis Morales. His father notched five early-round knockouts at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, including a pair of world title defenses.

Juanmita said, "I am incredibly thankful to God for the chance to fight at home once again and to be able to showcase my talent in front of my people. On January 31, we will show the world that Puerto Rico has a great prospect coming straight from 'The Island of Enchantment' in 'Juanmita' López."

About Top Rank

Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Top Rank has promoted some of the most memorable fights in the sport’s history, including 26 Ali events, Leonard vs. Hearns, Pryor vs. Arguello, Duran vs. Leonard, Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Staples Center, Wembley Arena, Araneta Coliseum, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, The “Fabulous” Forum, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.