Eddie Hearn: Jaron Ennis to Unify or Face ‘Huge Names’ at Welterweight in 2025

Eddie Hearn said today that Jaron ‘Boot’ Ennis will either fight in a unification in March or April 2025 or in a “big fight” at 147.

(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

Hearn reiterated why Boots, 27, did not accept the offer to fight WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. fight for February 22 because he did not want to vacate his IBF welterweight title.

That excuse doesn’t fly, as Boots just made a mandatory defense against Karen Chukhadzhian on Nov. 9 and can move up to 154 for one fight without losing his belt. So, either Hearn and Boots are either ignorant about it, or they are being dishonest. It is hard to believe that Hearn would not be aware that Ennis had just made a mandatory defence.

Hearn didn’t say who the person would be in a fight for Boots (33-0, 29 KOs), but it would have to be someone not currently in the welterweight division. There are no featured fighters at 147.

American fans won’t consider it Conor Benn a “big fight”. He is not considered a serious talent. He is more of a celebrity type fighter, in the same boat as Chris Eubank Jr and Tommy Fury.

Ennis’ next move

“Boots never decided he was going to 154. ‘It might go to 154.’ I felt it was a bit of a flat performance,” said Eddie Hearn KO Artist Sport about Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. “He went away on holiday for two weeks. We started receiving some offers for him to fight (Vergil) Ortiz.

“The first offer was on 147 of Riyadh season. In these situations with Riyadh season, nobody really makes the offer. It comes from Riyadh Season. So they emailed us and said, ‘We’d like to make you an offer to fight Vergil Ortiz at 147 in Riyadh; this is the money.’

“I spoke to Boots and 24 hours later went back to them (the Saudis). I said, ‘You might want to look. It’s at 147.’ I came back a day later, ‘It’s at 154.’ I said, ‘No problem. Let me go and talk to Boots.’ I came back. We had 48 hours to make a decision. I said to Boots: ‘You have to make a decision.’ “Oh, when?” ‘Now. Do you want to vacate the belt (IBF welterweight) and move it to 154?’ The reason we took the (Karen) Chukhadzhian fight, which cost me a lot of money, and it was a fight I didn’t want to do, because he told me how much he wanted to fight the other champions at 147 .”

No matter how much Hearn talks, it still seems 100% obvious that Boots avoided the fight with Vergil Ortiz because he would have made a lot of money and received great publicity for his career. Beating Vergil would increase Ennis’ popularity, and he could be a PPV attraction, opening the door for other big fights at 154.

He has talked about wanting to fight Terence Crawford in the past. Beating Vergil will help Ennis achieve that goal, or at least move him a little closer.

“So, I already know that. Basically he told me, ‘I’d rather stay at 147,'” Hearn said of Ennis. “‘If I move up to 154, I would fight Vergil Ortiz in a heartbeat, but I don’t want to vacate the belt. I want to try to unite.’ That’s it. I know the social media is swirling. “What?” It’s not his (Ennis) weight class. He is a world champion at 147.”

So there it is. Ennis dodged Vergil. Hearn can’t spin the truth because it’s in Boots’ own words. He doesn’t want to fight Ortiz Jr.

“When he makes the move, he will take the fight. I like the fight because I think he wins the fight, and I like Vergil. But if you’re going to move to 154, it’s the perfect fight for us, but he’s not going to move to 154,” Hearn said.

“You can put this interview on the record and say, his next fight is going to be at 147. He’s not going to say in a month, ‘Hey guys, I’m moving to 154.’ That’s not the case, because if we did, we would have accepted the offer and talent that he fought. So, it’s 147 next.”

No one doubts that Ennis is staying at 147, as Hearn has said so repeatedly. It will surprise no one that Boots remains a welterweight. It will surprise people if he moves up to 154, but not if he stays at 147.

Great Fight guaranteed

“He will either unite in March or April or be in for a big fightt against a big name. When we announce the fight, you’ll say, ‘Okay, fair enough.’ A lackluster performance (Chukhadzhian) will help us land a Stanionis or a Norman or a Barrios because they might think they can win now,” Hearn said.

The “big fight” that fans would see as a big one involving Ennis at 147 would be if Ryan Garcia or Devin Haney moved up in weight and fought him. That’s about it. Crawford is not returning to the division. There is no one else in the weight class that fans would consider a big fight involving Ennis.

“He (Ennis) was a bit bewildered by it,” Hearn said of Boots being confused by the criticism he received. “We have been talking to the Saudis for the past week or ten days. We talked to his team a little bit, but there was no decision to make until the offer came in.

“The Saudis are moving very fast. I end fights on that map in three minutes when I talk to someone. So, when you call Boots, and you say, ‘We’ve had this offer. Dropping your belt and moving to a new weight class is quite a big decision.’ He’s like, ‘How soon do they want to know?’ “They probably want to know tonight, but I can make it difficult for a day or two.”

“He’s like, ‘I don’t really know. I want to unite. Can we get the unification?’ “Actually, I believe, yes, we can get the unification.” He said, ‘This is what I really want to do.’ “Well, you have a decision,” and the decision was, “I’m staying at 147.”

“Once he does that, there’s no fight at 154, and we like the fight. The reality is, Boots is a world champion, and to vacate and move up for a non-world championship fight as well. I know the fans want it, but you also have to look at your own career and your path.

“He’s really frustrated, but I feel that as soon as we announce the next fight, you guys will say, ‘Fair play.’ It makes sense,” Hearn said.

Boots should be frustrated with himself because he’s the one who turns down the fight with Vergil. It’s his fault. The fight offer is said to be $8 million for Ennis.