Jaron Ennis’ new promoter Eddie Hearn insisted the prime priority is for the 27-year-old to unify a welterweight division devoid of longtime champions Errol Spence Jr and former undisputed king Terence Crawford, as the appetite for the Philly fighter to finally face the latter has again intensified following his fifth-round TKO win over former Crawford opponent David Avanesyan on home turf.
Earn with Hearn: Promoter wants Ennis to unify at 147lbs
TERENCE Crawford has bigger fish to fry next month, but the clamour for a Jaron Ennis showdown at light-middleweight, continues to grow with each passing day. It was heightened Saturday night in Philadelphia after the latter stopped former European champion David Avanesyan a round earlier than Bud did in Dec. 2022.
An inadvertent low blow in the final minute of their opening stanza threatened to deflate the local hero’s homecoming party but that didn’t last long.
He chained together more body work in the second as Avanesyan wasn’t afraid to trade up close, connecting on a few power shots and staying in the 27-year-old’s face – not a wise tactic – but one which had the crowd stirring with anticipation as Ennis’ attacks intensified with time against an opponent content to open up defensively.
Technique, torque and tactics were the buzzwords for the champion through nine minutes, as Shawn Porter and Sergio Mora on DAZN’s commentary were pleasantly surprised by the challenger’s efforts. After all, he entered this contest on just four weeks’ notice and could’ve easily been happy to wilt at the first sign of danger.
Instead, he was winning the fifth before Ennis scored a disguised left hook knockdown as Avanesyan traded with the champion’s back against the ropes.
He made it to the bell, but the corner retired him before round six could begin with a suspected jaw or facial injury. Ennis got caught a few times early on and accepted his timing was off too but crucially cranked up the pressure en route to a welcome night’s work against Avanesyan – evidenced by his punch stats via CompuBox.
21, 27, 35, 34 and 35 punches landed clean for the IBF welterweight world champion in rounds one through five, ending a year-long layoff with a much-needed stoppage.
The lingering sense of disappointment after his 12-round decision win over Karen Chukadzhian has been replaced by newfound optimism under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom banner and given Turki Alalshikh’s interest from Saudi, it makes sense.
“He’s going to move to 54 [light-middleweight] at some point but you don’t want to really go before you have taken care of business,” Hearn said at the post-fight press conference. If that’s the case, activity is of the utmost importance for Jaron in a division with ageing names and largely unproven contenders nearer the top table now as many have either moved up for new challenges or retired.
Crawford’s light-middleweight move to box new WBA titleholder Israil Madrimov on August 3 will likely see the only remaining title he holds at 147lbs become vacant, while Mario Barrios and Brian Norman Jr are the division’s other world champions.
Barrios (WBC) and Norman Jr (WBO) have interim titles attached but since they’re aligned with different promoters – Barrios under the PBC and Amazon banner, while Norman fights exclusively with Top Rank and ESPN, it’s not easy doing business.
Hearn suggested Ennis may return to box a tougher opponent as the co-main on the rescheduled Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol card in Riyadh come October 12 or back on home soil in Philadelphia given how successful this venture proved – an official crowd of 14,199 was the city’s largest for 45 years, since Marvin Hagler’s days.
He was originally slated to face Canada’s unbeaten contender Cody Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs), before the latter withdrew a month from fight night through an unresolved right eye injury.
Picture source: Boxing Photos, quotes via BoxingScene
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