Jaron “Boots” Ennis: The future of pound-for-pound No. 1?

After becoming a unified world champion and proving that he is the best welterweight in the world, Jaron “Boots” Ennis has decided to move up in weight, and based on his recent calls, Ennis is focused on getting to the top of the pound-for-pound list.

On the night of October 11 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jaron Ennis walked to the ring with the goal of making a statement. At the conclusion of the scheduled 12-round bout, Ennis made a statement that was loud and clear.

Back in April 2024, Ennis made a significant career move when he signed with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing. Two months later, Boots Ennis was in the ring defending his IBF title against David Avanesyan.

On that particular night, Ennis was working part-time as he stopped David Avanesyan in the fifth round. Boots Ennis would go on to have another successful title defense when he defeated Karen Chukhadzhian via unanimous decision.

When Ennis was scheduled to face WBA welterweight world champion Imantas Stanionis, many assumed the bout would be a legitimate test. Jaron Ennis passed the test with ease, stopping Imantas Stanionis in the sixth round and becoming the unified IBF and IBF welterweight world champion.

After proving to be the best in the welterweight division, Ennis moved up to 154, where he was scheduled to face Uisma Lima. Based on his aggression and powerful punches, Lima believed he had a chance to pull off the upset and officially introduce himself to the mainstream.

Unfortunately for Lima, the singing of the national anthem lasted longer than the fight. In the opening inning, hitter Boots Ennis was in the traditional position. With 2:02 left in the first round, trouble started for Lima when Ennis switched to southpaw.

Ennis landed a big right uppercut followed by a three-punch combination that sent Lima to the canvas. Lima was able to get up, and as the bout continued, Ennis landed a flurry of punches that sent Lima back to the canvas.

Once again, Uisma Lima was able to get up and, once again, was hit by a flurry of powerful shots, forcing the referee to intervene and stop the match. With the win, Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) made his successful debut at the age of 154, while winning the WBA junior middleweight title.

During his post-fight interview, Jaron Ennis shared his successful junior middleweight roster. Ennis called up Virgil Ortiz, Jermell Charlo, WBO world champion Xander Zayas, WBC world champion Sebastian Fundora, and IBF world champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.

Jaron Ennis is a generational talent who has all the tools. He has a high IQ, athleticism, speed, strength, and excellent punch placement. Ennis is currently at the peak of his career, and is ready to chase greatness.

Both Ennis and his promoter Eddie Hearn expect Ennis to undertake a tour that will propel him to the top of the pound-for-pound chart. During the post-fight interview, Eddie Hearn spoke about his confidence in Boots Ennis.

“I’m telling you, he’s 28 years old,” Hearn said. “This is the future of boxing.” “This is the number one prospect. There’s no one at 54, 60, dare I say 168 who can beat this guy. We’re coming for everyone, including one guy, but we have to earn that right.”

With Ennis at his side, Hearn continued, “Jaron Ennis is going to destroy Virgil Ortiz. I’ll bet on that with Oscar De La Hoya. He’s the best fight in boxing in America. It’s a beautiful fight. He’s a great fighter, but this guy is on another level.”