Promoter Eddie Hearn defended his choice of Uussa Lima for his match fighter, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, to fight in his debut on 154 on October 11 in Philadelphia.
Hearn pointed out that Lima (14-1, 10 COs) was arranged in the top 10 by three of the four organizations on junior middleweight. He says his only loss of Aaron McKenna came when he fought the battle on five days’ notice.
Fans criticize Hearn’s choice
Fans criticized Hearn’s choice, saying he could choose Jesus Ramos, Israil Madrimov or Serhii Bohachuk. Instead, he focuses on slow, easy-to-hit Lima, whose record is blown up with victories over 14 unknown opponents, excavated from different parts of the world.
Lima is at the tip of #9 IBF, #9 WBC and #10 WBA at 154. However, there are very very defective contenders on him. So that does not mean anything he has arranged in the top -10.
“It’s a wonderful struggle. You have a man in the top -10 with three governing bodies, ‘said Eddie Hearn The bumpy terrainTalk about Uisma Lima. “He was on his way in his last three fights and beat unbeaten fighters.”
If you are arranged in the top 10 that is not what it is in any weight class, especially at 154. If you are not arranged in the top five at 154, you are flawed. Even being in the top five doesn’t mean much. Josh Kelly and Jorge Garcia are both top 5 and fighters on travelers, talent -wise. Ushma Lima’s unilateral defeat to Aaron McKenna in 2022 showed his restrictions as a fighter.
Eddie’s search for opponents of 147 pounds
“We could have chosen people who didn’t even have come to win. We offered eight fighters the fight,” Hearn said. “Everyone is talking about it to want it (Rashidi Ellis, Abel Ramos, and Josh Kelly), and they praised themselves just as wildly because they know how good “boots” are. ‘
Hearn combed the opponents of 147 pounds for Ennis for Ennis to adjust him to 154, and he did not aim high. Welterweight Abel Ramirez has six losses on his resume. Ellis is another 147 pound marginal fighter. The right question is: Why did Hearn the Welterweight section looking for opponents to prepare ‘boots’ for 154? The only reason you would choose it is to make Ennis look better than he is.
“I wanted someone to be a real 154 at 154, not a 147-pound that was moved up, which will win, it’s really tough. And that’s Lima,” says Hearn. “He’s a good fighter. This is not an easy struggle. When you talk about the other fighters we talked to. Ellis hits Lima him. (Brian) Mendoza, Lima hits him. ‘
Mendoza lost two of his last three fights. So it is not a big matter that Lima would hit him. I don’t know he would. As bad as Aaron McKenna Lima defeated, Mendoza would be so good too.
The fighters Hearn should have chosen
- Jesus Ramos Jr.
- Serhii Bohachuk
- Israil Madrimov
- Charles Conwell
- Erickson Lubi
- Yoenis tellez
- Tim Tszyu
Lima’s loss on short notice against McKenna
“This is a man (Lima) who once lost notice or five days’ notice (to Aaron McKenna through a unanimous unanimous decision of 10 round),” Hearn said of Lima. “It’s a difficult young man who comes with a lot of spirit, and I need someone to test” boots “at 154 before we dive into all the big fights.”
The reason why Lima lost to McKenna was not because he took the battle on five days’ notice. He was beaten because he was from the beginning. Hearn becomes incurable when he blames Uussma’s defeat to McKenna for the fight on short notice. You can see from the first round that he was over his head. Lima was too slow, and McKenna didn’t fall for his simplistic feints.
“Yes, of course,” Hearn said when asked if Lima was used to prepare Ennis for Vergil Ortiz Jr. ‘There’s nothing wrong with a young man (28 years old) like’ boots’ who battle at 154 against a man who is top 10 in the world. But people want to complain. Let’s see. The proof is in the pudding.
“I’m sure you Lima gives us a big fight on October 11, and he will come full of energy and full of desire, and that’s what we want,” says Hearn.
A predictable mismatch for ‘boots’ Ennis
Predictably, it will be a complete whitewash with Ennis that dominates Lima. Instead of Hearn reviewing his earlier remarks by admitting that he was wrong by oversold Uussa Lima, he will be about how good Ennis is. He will not admit that he did it wrong by choosing
Last updated on 08/14/2025
