IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis is hoping to send a message to the boxing world when he faces WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis in a unification bout on Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Ennis (33-0, 29 KO) has looked every part of a pound-for-pound elite in his career but has yet to land the kind of big fights his talent deserves. In Stanionis (15-0, 9 KO), Ennis has gotten the kind of opponent that has the ability to push him; a well-rounded and powerful fighter who doesn’t have glaring holes in his overall game.
Ennis vs. Stanionis is a meeting of the two best fighters at 147 pounds and the winner will be the only unified champion in the division. One might think a win would drive Ennis to move up in weight, joining a talent-stacked junior middleweight division. In a recent interview with Fight Hub TV, Ennis shot down that notion, saying he was instead focused on becoming undisputed champion above all else.
“I want to be the standard of the welterweight division and be with those top guys like Floyd Mayweather and Sugar Ray Leonard,” Ennis said at the final press conference this week. “Not too many people can say they have fought for the Ring Magazine and division titles but on Saturday night I will, and I will be stamping my legacy right there. We’re going to show the world why I’m the best. We’re going to put on a show for sure.
know they think they might knock me out. First of all, I’ve never been knocked out so we will see, but it can always be the first time. I will do my best on April 12 and didn’t come here for a walk in the park. I went into this camp with my
most brutal training and I sacrificed a lot and left my family. My wife is pregnant, and my baby might come today or tomorrow. It’s been a lot of sacrifices that I have put because I love the sport and believe in myself so I will see you on April 12 and give all my heart.”Ennis was
also a beneficiary of Crawford’s moves, being elevated from interim to world champion after the IBF stripped Crawford for planning to go ahead with a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. rather than take his mandatory fight with Ennis.In Ennis’ most recent fight, he
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successfully defended his title against the same man he defeated to win the interim belt, Karen Chukhadzhian.There are a pair of additional support bouts on Saturday night worth keeping an eye on. Raymond Ford is looking to get started fresh in a new division
when he takes on Thomas Mattice at junior lightweight. Ford, 26, earned the WBA featherweight crown in 2024 but then lost a tough split decision to Nick Ball in his next fight. Now, Ford looks to begin his run at 130 pounds against a sturdy veteran in Mattice. Plus,
Shakhram Giyasov is set to take on Franco Ocampo at welterweight.Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the undercard with the latest odds before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.
