Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis looked visibly drained during Thursday’s final press conference for his fight against David Avanesyan on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Visibly Exhausted at Press Conference
Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) is defending his IBF welterweight title, and getting down to 147 has taken a lot out of him. He claims that he’s feeling strong and looks weak, talking to the media, saying he can stay at 147 for as long as he wants.
If Boots loses this fight against the heavy-handed Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs), he may choose his mind about wanting to stay at welterweight. Ennis says he wants to stay at 147 long enough to collect the remaining three belts to become undisputed before moving up to 154.
Bigger Fights Await at 154
Boots can make life easier on him if he moves up to 154 after Saturday’s fight because it’s clear that it’s killing him staying at 147, and the other champions are expected to dodge him.
These fighters aren’t going to want to take a fight that they’re not expected to win against Boots. It’s smarter for them to make defenses against no-name opposition and wait until Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney fight one of them for their belts.
“As long as I want. I’m at weight right now. I’m good,” said Jaron Ennis to the media when asked how long he expects to stay at 147. “As long as I’m comfortable. I’m feeling energized and strong.”
If Ennis moves up to 154 now, he can potentially fight these fighters:
– Terence Crawford
– Errol Spence
– Sebastian Fundora
– Tim Tszyu
– Erickson Lubin
– Brian Mendoza
Those guys are bigger fights for Boots Ennis than him staying at 147 and fighting Eimantas Stanionis, Brian Norman Jr. and Mario Barrios.
Ennis’s Focus: Undisputed at 147, Then 154
“As long as I’m feeling good, I’ll stay at 147. My goal is I’ve got one belt,” said Boots Ennis. “I’m going to collect the rest of these belts and be undisputed at 147 and do it at 154. That’s my goal. So, 147 now is my main goal. Collect these belts be undisputed and go to 154.”
It sounds like Boots Ennis feels that collecting the belts will somehow validate him in the minds of fans or his own mind, but it won’t because the champions are no-names.
Casual boxing fans aren’t familiar with the belt-holders, so Boots won’t get any traction from beating them. He’d gain more from moving up to 154 to hound Crawford.
“I don’t care. Whoever pops up first, it doesn’t matter,” said Boots Ennis when asked if he wants to fight Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight title next. “Bring me the belts. I’m going to be undisputed at 147 and do it at 154.”
Norman would be a really hard fight for Boots, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he lost that one. He’s tough, powerful, and younger than Boots.
“After I beat Avanesyan on Saturday, look good and knock him out, I don’t care who it is. I want them belts,” said Ennis.
