Philly’s top teacher and trainer along with being and one of the world’s best ‘Bozy’ Ennis talks boxing today.
Years ago I did an article on ‘Bozy’ Ennis and his 3 sons! Bozy himself looks like he could step back into the ring today, always in shape.
I nominated both ‘Bozy’ and his son, USBA champion Derek ‘Pooh’ Ennis, 24-5-1, with 13 stoppages, for the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame, and both were inducted. I have nominated NABF Super Middleweight Champion Farah Ennis several times, 22-2 with 12 stoppages, hopefully he will be up for a vote soon.
His youngest son, now IBF World Welterweight titleholder Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, 32-0 with 29 stoppages, won the WBC USA Silver Welterweight title by stopping Armando ‘Macho’ Alvarez, 18-0, in 2018.
In 2023, he won the IBF Interim Welterweight title, defeating No. 1 Karen Chukhadzhian, 21-1, winning all 12 rounds in Washington, DC. In his first defense, he defeated Venezuela’s Roiman ‘Flaco de Oro’ Villa, 26-1. in Atlantic City, NJ.
In his last fight in July, he stopped David ‘Ava’ Avanesyan, 30-4-1, at Philly’s Wells Fargo Center. In November he will again face Chukhadzhian no. 1 fight on behalf of the IBF in Philly. He is the most shunned boxer in the division.
In 2008, ‘Pooh’ won both the Pennsylvania Light Middleweight and USA Mid-Atlantic titles, defeating Troy Browning, 20-2-1, at Philadelphia’s National Guard Armory. Then, in 2009, won the vacant USBA Super Welterweight title, defeating Nigerian Eromosele ‘Bad Boy’ Albert 22-3-1 at the legendary Blue Horizon in Philly. In 2014, he ended his career.
Farah won the vacant NABF Super Middleweight title in 2010, stopping Victor Lares 15-4 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His last fight was in 2015.
I asked ‘Bozy’ the following questions:
KEN H: I have known and respected you since I met you. I believe it is time you were recognized as one of the best teachers, as you like to call yourself, in boxing.
BOZY: I call myself a teacher, and yes, a coach too.
KEN H: Few coaches have had three sons all win titles. I now know that promoter Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing) is promoting ‘Boots’, and you are looking to unify all the titles. I’m glad it was decided not to go to Germany for your next fight, instead to have it in Philly again.
BOZY: No way we would go to Germany. Eddie is good to work with and will get us those unification fights in time.
KEN H: What are your thoughts on the other champions, starting with WBO Interim Champion Brian ‘The Assassin ll’ Norman, Jr. 26-0 with 20 shutouts, who was going to defend his title but suffered an injury?
BOZY: We wanted to fight him.
KEN H: What do you think of WBC interim champion Mario ‘El Azteca’ Barrios, 29-2 with 18 stoppages, is scheduled to fight Abel Ramos, 28-6-2, for the WBC title in November?
BOZY: Good fighter, and I’d like to get him.
KEN H: What do you think of WBA champion Eimantes Stanionis, 15-0 with 9 stoppages?
BOZY: Another good one. Tried to get him.
KEN H: I want to clear the air about champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford. They say you turned down a fight with him.
BOZY: We’ve been trying to get him for 2½ years. We were never offered that fight. Another Vergil Ortiz, Jr. turned us down.
KEN H: I know you’ve worked with ‘The New’ Ray Robinson in the past, 25-3-2. Who else do you have and work with now?
BOZY: Jarrell ‘Real Big Baby’ Miller, Stephon ‘Cool Boy Steph’ Fulton, Andy Cruz, Haven Brady, Jr., Christian Carto, Ismael Muhammad, Oshae Jones, Prince Badi Ajamu, Anthony ‘The Messenger’ Thompson, Demetrius ‘The Gladiator’ Hopkins, Coy Evans, Rasheem Brown, Manny Folley, among others.
KEN H: Boots pushed Crawford and Ortiz to super welterweight.
BOZY: We want to unify before we move up, but may have to if we don’t get a unification fight soon.
KEN H: I want to thank you for taking the time to answer the questions.
BOZY: Always a pleasure, Ken.
Boots follows many former Philly welterweights and super welterweights in the past.
One that stood out was ‘Gypsy’ Joe Harris, 24-1 with 9 shutouts. In 1966, he defeated fellow Philly boxer Stanley ‘Kitten Hayward, 22-2-1, at the Philadelphia Arena. After defeating Cokes in a non-title match, he was next scheduled to fight Cokes for the title, but Cokes never fulfilled the rematch and should have been stripped. Harris then moved up in weight, losing only to Emile Griffith, and then retired when it was discovered he was blind in one eye.
Next, Harris defeated Philly killer Cuban Jose Stable who defeated Sidney ‘Sweet Pea’ Adams, 16-2-1, Charley Scott, 34-23, Hayward, 16-1-1, Dick Turner, 19-0-1 , and lost to Percy Manning, 15-3. He also split former world champion Curtis Cokes, 32-5-1, Kenny Lane, 63-9, with Angel Robinson Garcia, 40-9-1, in back-to-back fights, and Billy Collins, 24-3-1, before Harris fought.
Turner, 19-2-1, after losing his undefeated record to Stable, defeated Louis Federico Thompson, 130-12-10, Manning, 11-0 and Isaac Logart, 64-20-9. My first live fight I attended was Turner losing to Hayward by split decision, and I thought Turner won. He then retired.
Fighting at welterweight and middleweight, Bobby ‘Boogaloo’ Watts, 39-7-1, defeated Philly’s Eugene ‘Cyclone’ Hart, 24-3, and Willie ‘The Worm’ Monroe, 29-2-1. Dan ‘Wonderful’ Marvin Hagler, 25-0-1.
World contenders Garnet ‘Sugar’ Hart, 29-7-2, with 22 stoppages. Gil Turner, 56-19-2.
I could go on and on, so Boots follows quite a few Philly fighters who, unlike him, never won a world title.
