Trainer Greg Hackett says the reason IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis struggled with Karen Chukhadzhian last Saturday night was because the challenger went into survival mode after being knocked down in round five.
(Credit: Amy Westcott/Matchroom Boxing)
Greg’s reasons why boots struggle
- Chukhadzhian was in survival mode. He didn’t want to be knocked out, so he held on and moved.
- Boots was not motivated to fight. Since Ennis had already easily beaten Chukhadzhian a year ago, he was excited about the fight, allowing the challenger to take advantage of him.
Hackett points out that Chukhadzhian (24-3, 13 KOs) held on a lot after the takedown and didn’t let Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) hit him again. So he often clinched and moved for the last seven laps.
In the eyes of the fans, Ennis’ defensive skills seemed to be exposed by Chukhadzhian, who hit him with clean punches at will throughout the fight and really wore him down in the championship rounds.
After the points deduction tenth for stroke, an offensive fire was lit under Chukhadzhian, who tore into Ennis in rounds 11 and 12. He charged at Boots and hit him with powerful shots up close and inside.
When the cameras turned to the audience in the 11th, you could see concern from the fans, who were like, ‘What’s happening to Boots?’ Chukhadzhian did not try to survive. He kicked Boots’ backside all over the ring and humiliated him in front of his 10,000+ Philly fans at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and those watching at home.
Ennis not motivated to fight hard
‘One thing is: ‘I’ve already fought the guy, I’ve beaten the guy. I’m not really interested,” coach Greg Hackett said Battle hypeand explains why Jaron ‘Boot’ Ennis struggled in his rematch against Karen Chukhadzhian last Saturday night.
Ennis looked motivated, but he was facing a guy with more talent than him and, surprisingly, more power. Chukhadzhian looked like the harder puncher of the two and obviously had the faster hand speed.
“At the same time, it is mandatory. It’s like, ‘I beat him. I’m not interested, but I’m going to fix; I’m going to exercise. I’m going to fight him,’” Hackett said, continuing to make excuses for Ennis’ poor performance. “Karen is very smart. We were on his (back) about the run. So this time he brought the hitting with the hitting.”
Chukhadzhian did hold a lot in the second half of the fight when he got tired, which is why he lost. If he hadn’t held back so much, he would have won for sure as he got the better of Boots.
“He got under Boots’ skin. He was very annoyed,” Hackett said. “He was frustrated. I can understand that he has good legs, elite legs. It’s boxing, man. (Good) like this is going to happen. Boots obviously won the fight, but it’s like, ‘I already beat the guy. I don’t want to fight with him again. I want the big names.’”
Boots was in a state of disrepair from the fourth round. He stopped talking to the audience and smiled during the clinches. In the second half he looked to his corner for help, not knowing what to do and needing to be told. His confidence seeped out of him like a leaky faucet.
Chukhadzhian fought to survive
“He did what he could,” Hackett said of Chukhadzhian. “Karen didn’t put himself in a position to be stopped. He felt the power and went down in the fifth. “Okay, I don’t do that anymore. We don’t get hit with that (stuff) anymore.’ Therefore, he did what he could to survive.
“I can’t be mad at him. That man has a family. He must go home to his people. Boots, you can’t judge him by that fight because it’s one of those things. “I’ve already done that,” Hackett said.
Hackett makes excuses for Boots, carrying his waterto maintain his image because he has it 100% wrong about why he fought against Chukhadzhian.
To claim that Chukhadzhian was in survival mode from the fifth round is wrong, as he landed big shots on Boots in rounds six through twelve. Chukhadzhian appeared to take the 11th and 12th rounds after being penalized for holding in round 10.
