Boots Ennis Impresses

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Jul 14, 2024 7:26 AM ET

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis wanted to put on a show for the hometown crowd and he definitely delivered on that. Ennis retained his IBF welterweight title with a fifth-round TKO victory over David Avanesyan on Saturday before 14,000-plus at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.

The champion was very intentional with his punches as he was breaking the challenger down from the head to the body. Boots floored the challenger in the 5th round with a counter right and Avanesyan did not want to continue as he quit on his stool at the end of the round.

That's all she wrote #EnnisAvanesyan pic.twitter.com/hhVDA1MDFR

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 14, 2024

Who’s next?

“I felt off a little bit. … My timing was a little off,” said Ennis, who was competing for the first time in a year. “I want the big names, Terence Crawford.”

Without a doubt Ennis has grown frustrated trying to attract bigger fights. He’s no stranger in calling out Terrance Crawford but it seems like Crawford has little interest in fighting Ennis at this point. Crawford still holds the WBA and WBO belts even though he’s challenging for those same belts at 154.

“The future of Boots Ennis is the future of boxing,” said promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, which signed Ennis to a multifight deal earlier this year. “I think he beats everyone. I think he’s just a special fighter that needs to be tested against the best in the world. … He’s going to be around for a long time.”

Hearn said that the focus is to have Ennis unify all of the belts at 147. Once he accomplishes that feat then he’ll eventually move up to 154. Either way tonight was a reminder on why Boots is one of the most avoided fighters in boxing.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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