Eddie Hearn believes Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis possesses something Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney don’t: elite boxing ability combined with an aggressive, knockout-first style.
Click here to watch Ennis vs. Zayas to watch LIVE!
Ennis challenges unified WBA and WBO junior middleweight champion Xander Zayas at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night, with the undefeated Philadelphian looking to add two world titles in his first fight at 154 pounds.
“All these guys with incredible IQ. You’ve got guys like Haney, you’ve got guys like Shakur. These are tremendous fighters with great IQ. They don’t fight like Boots,” Hearn told Million Dollaz Worth of Game. “Pound-for-pound guys are either good IQ guys with good footwork, or they’re exciting knockout artists who lack the fundamentals. He’s got it all.”
Hearn says Ennis’ willingness to chase knockouts is what sets him apart from many of boxing’s elite.
“From the first bell he lights the place up because he immediately tries to win the fight by knockout,” said Hearn. “He’s not looking to outpoint or box and move you over 12 rounds. He’s coming to rip your head off. The casual audience doesn’t want to watch a boxer move, a smart IQ. They want to see knockouts, and that’s what he delivers.”
The Philadelphia native skipped any rebuilding period after switching weight classes and went straight to a high-risk title fight against the undefeated Zayas.
Victory over the undefeated Zayas would establish Ennis as a unified champion in a second weight class. Hearn has made no secret of his desire to match the Philadelphia native against the other top names at 154 pounds, with Sebastian Fundora among those firmly on his radar.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last updated on 06/26/2026 at 11:47
