This writer plans to venture to Atlantic City January 10th and back on January 11th to see two of Philadelphia’s favorite boxers on the cards. On January 10th on Showtime Philly’s top prospect since 1984’s Meldrick Taylor, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 24-0 (22), at 147 makes another appearance on Showtime taking on Bakhtyar Eyubov, 14-1-1 (12), of KAZ and Houston, TX, on one of the three bouts shown on that card.
In the Main Event at the Ocean Resort Casino, promoted by Salita Promotions – Dmitriy Salita is two-time Gold Medal Olympian and Middleweight WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, 9-0 (2), fighting for a pair of titles. She won both titles in her last fight in May. She is dropping down to super welterweight. Her opponent is IBO super welterweight champion Ivana Habazin, 20-3 (7), of Croatia.
In the co-feature WBA 168 champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon Espinosa, of Lindenhurst, NY, in a unification bout against Sweden’s IBF 168 champion Elin Cederroos, 7-0 (4).
Ennis is No. 15 IBF and No. 13 WBO and this will be his toughest opponent. He’s trained by the top Philly trainer-teacher, his father “Bozy” Ennis.
“Boots” is the third son the elder Ennis has trained. The oldest was Derek “Pooh” Ennis, 24-5-1 (13), who won the USBA 154 title. The other was Farah Ennis, 22-2 (12), who won the NABF 168 title. This writer has nominated both “Bozy” and “Pooh” for the PAB HOF of which I am one of the members.
On January 11th in Atlantic City at the Mark G. Estess Arena, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, next to the Ocean Resort & Casino, promoted by Top Rank – Bob Arum. Philly’s IBHOF inductee J Russell Peltz and Brad Goodman of TR are doing the matchmaking. This is an ESPN show.
In the Main Event is Philly’s Jesse “Hard Work” Hart, 26-2 (21), fighting Joe Smith, Jr. 24-3 (20), of Long Island, NY, whose big win was defeating Philly’s former world champion Bernard “Be-Hop” Hopkins. The undercard has the Adorno brothers from Allentown, PA, Joseph “Blessed Hands”, 14-0 (12), and Jeremy “Majic Hands”, 3-0 (1), also Philly heavyweight prospect Sonny “The Bronco” Conto, 5-0 (4). In the co-feature super middleweight Steven Nelson, 15-0 (12), takes on Cem Kilic, 14-0 (9), for the vacant WBO NABO title.
It will be a busy and hopefully pleasure trip for this writer if the PA fighters come back with a “W”!