According to Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis’ promoter, Eddie Hearn from Matchroom, Ennis might face avoidance from leading junior middleweight contenders if he delivers a dominant performance against Uisma Lima in his debut at 154 pounds. This bout is scheduled for October 11th at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Hearn’s Worries About Ennis Being Avoided
Hearn speculates that a convincing victory for Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs) in his 154-pound debut against Lima (14-1, 10 KOs), a lesser-known contender, could backfire. It might lead prominent fighters to steer clear of him, similar to what happened during his time as a welterweight.
“Our priority is to secure a title opportunity for ‘Boots.’ At 147, fighters hesitated to face ‘Boots.’ He was eventually promoted to interim champion, which at least meant that fighting ‘Boots’ was a fight for a title,” Eddie Hearn explained to Fighthype.
At welterweight, Ennis didn’t have the draw needed to attract promoters and top contenders, even after becoming the division’s top-ranked fighter following Terence Crawford’s departure. It wasn’t simply a matter of Ennis being avoided without reason.
The potential financial rewards weren’t significant enough for top fighters to consider the risk of facing him. This was evident when Hearn offered $1.7 million to WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman, a figure they wanted increased to over $2 million. Hearn remained firm, illustrating the financial disincentive for fighters to risk fighting Jaron.
“He didn’t perform exceptionally against Chukhadzhian, leading Stanionis and PBC to think, ‘Perhaps he’s not as formidable as we thought. We’ll take him on,’ but then he fights extraordinarily,” Hearn commented on Ennis. “So, if he decisively defeats Lima, fighters like Vergil Ortiz and Xander Zayas might decide to avoid him and pursue a championship elsewhere.”
Hearn should probably not expect WBO 154-lb champion Xander Zayas to fight Ennis. That matchup is unlikely unless Turki Alalshikh becomes involved and offers Zayas a substantial sum. Top Rank’s goal is to establish Zayas as a star, and Ennis would jeopardize that plan if given the chance.
A Confirmed Matchup for Hearn
“The strategic planning is crucial for Jaron Ennis,” Hearn stated.
The one fight Hearn can confidently anticipate for Ennis is against Bakhram Murtazaliev. This is a matchup where avoidance is less likely to be an issue. However, Hearn must assess his confidence in ‘Boots’ before pitting him against the formidable IBF 154-lb champion, Murtazaliev.
