The Jaron Ennis show will switch into second gear Saturday night when the touted IBF welterweight champion looks to defend his title for the first time against David Avanesyan.
The Philadelphia-bred blue chipper will be headlining in his hometown for the first time in six years, this time on a grand stage when Ennis graduates to the Wells Fargo Center, home of the NBA’s 76ers and NHL’s Flyers. The fight will stream on DAZN and mark Ennis’ Matchroom Boxing debut.
Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) is ready to plant his flag as the new face of the welterweight division now that former undisputed champion Terence Crawford has moved up to 154 pounds.
“Boots” possesses Crawford’s crown after the IBF stripped “Bud” in November for failing to make a mandatory defense against Ennis, and the sanctioning body elevated Ennis from interim champion to full title status.
“I’m excited to get in the ring and put on a beautiful show, have fun, look good, pick apart Avanesyan, break him down and beat him up for the knockout to get the ball rolling,” Ennis told BoxingScene. “Saturday night is going to be a statement. I am putting 147 pounds on notice.”
Ennis, 27, will be making a reintroduction of sorts, as he’s fighting for the first time since last July when he knocked out the hard-charging Roiman Villa in 10 rounds.
The 12-month layoff has been the longest of Ennis’ eight-year career.
Ennis was on the sidelines as he tried to get his career back on track. In February, Ennis filed a lawsuit against NOW Boxing – run by Cameron Dunkin, who passed away in January – seeking a release from his contract and a judgment over $1,000,000. By March, a settlement was reached and the complaint was dismissed with prejudice, opening the doors for Ennis to sign a new deal with Matchroom in April.
“I want what is best for my career,” said Ennis. “I like how Eddie Hearn moves his fighters. I like the things he does and the way he treats his guys. I just went that way. I like how Eddie does the talking for me. I'm glad I got Eddie behind me. That makes a perfect pair.”
Although Ennis may be a man of few words, he makes up for it with his prolific fists. The switch-hitter is heralded as one of boxing’s most complete and special fighters and the well-rounded boxer-puncher often draws comparisons to being the second coming of the three-division champion Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs).
Ennis, however, has been left with a sour taste after being awarded Crawford’s title without fighting him. At the time Crawford was ordered to fight Ennis, he was focused on facing Errol Spence Jr. in a rematch, but that ship has since sailed as both fighters have guided their careers in different directions.
“It is what it is. It was out of my control,” said Ennis. “I definitely didn't want to win the belt that way. I'd rather beat the man than be handed his belt. There is nothing I could do about it.
“I would hope [to fight Crawford by 2025]. He's at 154 trying to get belts and my main goal is to be an undisputed champion at 147, but in the future, yeah. I want to fight the best guys and top guys, but you see how those things went.”
Ennis never got a chance to prove himself against the likes of Crawford, Spence, Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas, and others during his ascent, and now he’ll have to settle for Avanesyan, a middle-of-the-pack contender best known for being knocked out by Crawford in 2022 and knocking out Josh Kelly for his first career loss in 2021. Avanesyan also handed a past-his-prime “Sugar” Shane Mosley a decision defeat in 2016.
Avanesyan, a 35-year-old Armenian who is based in the UK, is promising to “kill” Ennis.
Ennis is unbothered by Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs), who is replacing Cody Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs) after the mandated challenger pulled out from the originally announced bout in the first week of June due to an eye injury.
Matchroom won the rights to the Ennis-Crowley fight with a $3.9 million purse bid, 85 per cent of which was supposed to be given to Ennis, per IBF rules.
“I've been preparing the same way I do for everything else – just by staying in the gym, focused and level-headed,” said Ennis. “I'm not overthinking things and letting everything just fall into place. I’m taking my time with the hard work, that's all.
“I think David is a better opponent but Cody is tougher. I guess you can say Avanesyan brings pressure [in what he does well]. He kind of fights like my last opponent [Villa], he just looks like a smaller version of that. All Avanesyan does is bring pressure and doesn’t move his head.
“I'm not worried about anyone else. I'm just looking forward to getting back in the ring and being able to put on a show for my fans and supporters. I'm going to do me regardless. I don't worry about whatever anyone else has going on.
“Everything has been going great and perfectly. There is no pressure. I love fighting at home. I'm comfortable here.”
Ennis has aspirations to eventually become a four-division undisputed champion at 147, 154, 160, and 168 pounds.
The current crop of welterweights who are left with versions of Crawford’s crowns are the PBC-affiliated Eimantas Stanionis (WBA) and Mario Barrios (WBC) and the Top Rank-promoted Brian Norman Jr. (WBO).
As Ennis insists that no one calls him out, he also has eyes on a potential star-making opportunity against a legend looking to unretire for the right fight.
“Nothing has come across my table yet [for Manny Pacquiao] and if it does I will gladly take it,” said Ennis.
“But most definitely those fights [against Stanionis, Barrios and Norman] are going to happen – you have to stay tuned. After I handle my business on Saturday night with a big statement win, that's my goal – undisputed. I'm not looking past Avanesyan, but after I win, I am coming for all of the belts.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
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