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On Saturday, July 13, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jaron “Boots” Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) will defend his IBF welterweight title against Russian-born fighter David Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs). We have already looked at three ways Avanesyan can upset “Boots,” and continuing are build-up to fight night, we are now looking back at the last three opponents of the Philadelphia native.
Looking at the Last Three Opponents of Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis Before David Avanesyan Fight
Roiman Villa
“Boots” faced Roiman Villa in Atlantic City on July 8, 2023, making the first defence of his IBF welterweight interim-champion title. From the beginning, the Philly fighter’s superior hand speed stood out, alongside his ability to pick the right shots.
Ennis controlled the distance throughout, but Vila did have moments of success, keeping his guard high and letting his shots go, but Ennis’ speed and combination punching was the deciding factor. In the 10th round, “Boots” landed a beautifully timed left-cross and right hook combination, which left the Colombian fighter slumped against the ropes, leaving Villa unable to continue, with the referee waving the fight off.
Karen Chukhadzhian
On January 7, 2023, Ennis faced Ukrainian fighter Karen Chukhadzhian in Washington D.C. “Boots” was on a six-year knockout streak, which ended in this fight as Chukhadzhian showed how adept he was at surviving.
Despite facing an extremely defensive fight, Ennis showed poise and kept his work rate up to dominate. It was a workmanlike performance without catching the eye. He was first to every exchange and outworked his Ukrainian opponent, with all three judges scorecards reading 120-108.
Custio Clayton
“Boots” faced Custio Clayton on May 14, 2022, with Ennis showing his finishing ability against his Canadian opponent, who had never lost previously, with a majority draw vs. Sergey Lipinets in 2020 the only blemish on his record.
Ennis gained the initiative in the first round, letting his hands go, and backing up Clayton who kept his guard high to survive the first round. Round two saw the fight end, with the Philly native landing a big overhand right and despite Clayton beating the count, he was clearly on unsteady legs, forcing the referee to wave off the fight.
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