Philadelphia’s Jaron “Boots” Ennis scored his fifteenth straight knockout on April 10th stopping former IBF Junior Welterweight champion Sergey “Samurai” Lipinets in 6 rounds improving his record to 27-0 with 25 stoppages and 1 no decision! His amateur record was 42-3.
Ennis is trained by his father Derek “Bozy” Ennis, Sr. who is also co-manager along with Cameron Dunkin. “Boots” two other brothers are Derek “Pooh” Ennis, Jr., 24-5-1 (13), who was the USBA Super Welterweight champion and Farah Ennis, 22-2 (12), who was the NABF Super Middleweight champion.
“Boots” was ranked No. 12 in the WBC, No 9 IBF and No. 7 in the WBO before defeating Lipinets who was No. 3 in the IBF so Ennis should move up in the rankings. Errol Spence, Jr. holds the IBF World title and it’s the goal for Ennis to have another one or two matches in hope to have a chance at the IBF world title by the end of the year.
The big problem may be Lipinets was the first contender to agree to fight Ennis in his 27 fight career. Now who else will step up and agree to meet him? Ennis was an Olympic alternate having fought southpaw Gary Antuanne Russell, 13-0 (13) who is a pro in the super lightweight division, four times in losing three of those matches. Russell lost in the quarter finals in the 2016 Olympics.
In the previous fight Ennis fought southpaw Chris van Heerden, 28-2-1 (12), of South Africa and Santa Monica, CA. Ennis was beating on Heerden when there was a clash of heads causing a bad cut on the forehead of Heerden halting the action at 2:39 of the first round for the vacant IBO World title. There is no plan for a rematch at this time or another shot at the IBO title for Ennis. Van Heerden is not in any world top rankings.
No. 4 ranked in the IBF and WBO is Custio “War Machine” Clayton, 18-0-1 (12), of Canada who drew with Lipinets in October of 2020 in his last fight and Lipinets last fight before the bout with Ennis. Clayton has no bouts scheduled at this time. For him and Ennis to get together would be ideal for Ennis. Lipinets was No. 9 in the WBO. This should move Ennis up in the WBO rankings from his No. 7 ranking.
Ennis believes he is the best welterweight in the world and in time will prove this when the time comes for a world title fight. He has gotten a lot of exposure in his appearance on Showtime in his most recent bout. In an interview with Brian Custer “Boots” said “I am the best overall boxer at welter. I want Thurman, Pacquaio, Spence and Crawford!”
Philadelphia’s former WBC World champion Danny “Swift” Garcia, 36-3 (21), currently ranked No. 5 in the WBC. His last bout was losing to champion Spence, 27-0 (21), in December of 2020. A match between Garcia and Ennis is a possibility but should be avoided unless it would be an elimination bout for the WBC title Spence holds but with Garcia losing 116-112 on all scorecards it would be doubtful he would be considered in an elimination match for another shot at Spence. The champion has nothing scheduled at this time.
In September of September of 2020 Cuban Yordenis “24 Milagros” Ugas, 26-4 (12), won the vacant WBA world title by split decision over Abel Ramos. Back in February of 2018 Ugas stopped “The New” Ray Robinson of Philadelphia who was also trained by “Bozy” Ennis. In March of 2019 Ugas lost a split decision to WBC champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter but has won his last three bouts. In Porter’s next fight he lost his title to Spence.
So where does all of this leave Ennis? Any former world champion or any contender in front of Ennis would be ideal but we do not live in an ideal world in the sport of boxing! Ennis is not with any promoter of record though Chris Middendorf Sports who has filed a lawsuit against Dunkin and Ennis, Sr. since the fall of 2020. Middleton was very instrumental in moving Ennis into the world rankings and his appearances on Showtime. He has not been involved in the last two bouts that Ennis has fought. Ennis is a champion in the making and one in the “waiting game!”