Shakur Stevenson, a prominent boxing figure, voiced his strong belief that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, an undefeated welterweight who came up in the USA Boxing system with Stevenson, would defeated former world champion Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman. The bout which has been rumored on the internet over and over again now as it is seeming to appear that the soonest we would see Keith Thurman return to the ring would be December, and would mark a near two year lay-off from the ring.
The problem with Thurman, with a record of 30-1 and 22 KOs, who has expressed willingness to face ‘Boots’ Ennis, but it always feels like it would be the second choice. Thurman has stated that he deeply desires an undisputed welterweight championship bout between himself and Terence Crawford, before entertaining a fight with Ennis.
Stevenson, one of the best modern boxers, who is also been someone quick to praise Ennis feels that the man best known as 'Boots' is all wrong for Thurman.
“Me and ‘Boots, we came up together," Stevenson to Mill City Boxing. "We were in the amateurs together. I used to dominate the amateurs, and then you got Boots; he was another person dominating with me."
Stevenson even went as far as to question the motivations of Thurman at this point in his career. Stevenson believes that Thurman's motivations are strictly money at this point and that some of the hunger to be great is gone.
“That sounds like somebody who will take the fight for the money but not take it as seriously as he should," said Stevenson. "I already know that ‘Boots’ [will] destroy Keith Thurman.”
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis stands as the IBF mandatory to Terence Crawford, but Crawford has a contractual obligation to Errol Spence Jr., and is also going after a fight with Canelo Alvarez. Those mega-fights would happen before a fight with Ennis for Crawford, with many believing Crawford will fight above welterweight from this point on. The biggest fight for Ennis in the current landscape of boxing is Keith Thurman, a man who has fought since 2021 on FOX pay-per-view against Mario Barrios.
Additionally, Shakur Stevenson reacted to Thurman’s statement suggesting that a fight between two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-division undisputed world champion Claressa Shields and Thurman might happen before an Ennis bout. The reason being the odd nature of such a circus fight occurring might generate more attention.
“I told Claressa [Shields] that if she was going to fight [Thurman], I’ll train her and help work with her," said Stevenson. "Not train her, but us could come and train together.”
