Tonight at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hometown boxer Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (32-0, 29 KOs) defends his IBF Championship against mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian (24-2, 13 KOs). They fought each other once before, in January 2023.
In one of the few Boots fights that have been over. A match where Karen seemed to be fighting for his survival rather than being legitimately competitive. Karen got a paltry 97 strikes on 573 pitches, with 5 of them being strikes.
His output was similar to Boot’s, throwing 592 compared to his 573, but his offensive attack was extremely ineffective. Karen promises to be much more aggressive this time around, with a killer instinct intent on doing whatever it takes to earn the win. However, intention and reality may be different.
In his match against Harry Scarff, he used a similar strategy during exchanges where he found himself outmatched. Ennis is obviously the stronger boxer; how Karen overcomes his power is something to behold, as it may be physically impossible for him.
Jaron Ennis appears ready to challenge the best of the best in the sport. It is rumored that he could soon move up to the very competitive junior welterweight division (154 pounds) to challenge top stars like Vergil Ortiz Jr and Ryan Garcia. He would like a match against one of the top pound-for-pound stars, Terence Crawford, but Bud seems much more interested in a mega-fight against Canelo Alvarez.
Before Boots challenges the elite in the sport, he must first get past Chukhadzhian and do so impressively. He struggled to effectively cut off the ring in the first match, allowing Karen to circle the ring all night. However, Ennis has improved since that match, picking up wins against Roiman Villa and David Avanesyan.
Boots is a gym rat and spends a lot of time in the gym perfecting his craft. In his second game with Matchroom and one in a row at the Wells Fargo Center, Boots aims to give his hometown crowd a show. His profile and superstar status will continue to grow, as will his competition.
In the first game against Chukhadzhian, Ennis landed 46 percent of his power shots, but only 20 percent of his jabs (Compubox). The jab will be key this time and will allow him to set up his combos. It could also potentially allow him to get the knockout victory he was looking for in the first game. Effectively cutting off the ring and controlling the distance will minimize Karen’s mobility and ultimately his ability to survive.
Can Boots achieve the knockout? If he does, he will demonstrate his progress and ability to adapt. Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn talked about it on social media about a possible 5 versus 5 fight card featuring Golden Boy boxers against Matchroom boxers. Potential matchups included Jaron Ennis vs. Ryan Garcia or Jarron Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. If either match comes to fruition, it will give Boots the superstar fight he has been clamoring for.
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