The risk vs. reward battle of their proposed IBF, WBO welterweight world title unification bout meant this was always an unlikely possibility given one boxer is aligned with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable, the other steadily built by ESPN and Bob Arum’s Top Rank machine – leverage, high asking prices, back-and-forth versions of transparency playing out in public is never a positive sign.
Norman has Nov. 8 date set, as Ennis unification talks on ice
EXACTLY who Jaron Ennis boxes in his eagerly-awaited second appearance under Eddie Hearn and the Matchroom banner remains unclear, after a fortnight’s worth of protracted negotiations with WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr ended sourly before the IBF titleholder’s new promoter lost the purse bid for his mandatory defence – a proposed rematch with Karen Chukhadzhian – which doesn’t bode well.
Jolene Mizzone, Norman’s manager, said the purse bid situation meant her charge was in a position of power to negotiate what they felt was a fair asking price. Hearn and co naturally disagree and they couldn’t find a middle ground – even with the British-based promoter reportedly offering more than ten times’ Norman’s disclosed purse for his most recent outing. Mizzone said this, via BoxingScene.com:
“We went back-and-forth, came to a number that made sense.
With my experience as a former promoter, I knew that Matchroom and Boots were in a tough spot – mandatory defence against a fighter they’d already beaten – to avoid that, they needed to fight someone like us, Eimantas Stanionis, Mario Barrios. We realised we were in a strong position, so didn’t overprice ourselves – just asked for what was fair.”
In any case, Norman will now earn considerably less money to box Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) on the undercard of Keyshawn Davis vs. Gustavo Lemos, a Top Rank show scheduled for November 8 in Norfolk, Virginia.
Having followed the Devin Haney blueprint by boxing almost exclusively in Mexico for his first 15 pro bouts, the 23-year-old floated across a range of smaller shows and promotions Stateside before signing a multi-fight Top Rank deal in Dec. 2022.
This matchup, for the full WBO world welterweight championship, will be his sixth under the Bob Arum banner as he looks to build on a tenth-round knockout win over 32-0 unbeaten contender Giovani Santillan in May, clinching interim gold.
Since then, the Atlanta native was upgraded to full titleholder after former undisputed king Terence Crawford moved up with the belts fragmenting, a UD12 winner vs. Israil Madrimov to claim the WBA light-middleweight world title on Aug. 3.
Norman Sr went back-and-forth on social media questioning Hearn and Matchroom’s offers for his son, comparing the two boxers – and the supposed leverage they had – but it appears as though ego played a decisive factor in negotiations falling through, given what was tabled and the b-side’s expectations.
Hearn wants Ennis to return on the same weekend, November 9th, in another Philadelphia homecoming after success at the gate for his voluntary defence against David Avanesyan as original mandated opponent Cody Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs) withdrew with an eye injury. Options besides a Chukhadzhian rematch are slim.
The Ukrainian has won three fights since his shutout UD12 defeat by Ennis in January 2023, most notably a UD12 himself (116-112 x 3) against British, Commonwealth and former European welterweight champion Harry Scarff four months ago.
Some say Boots should display improvements, having failed to cut off the ring against a moving target that night, but there’s not much appetite for the bout. We’ll have to wait and see, as the welterweight division is another in flux at present.
Picture source: Getty Images unless stated, quotes hyperlinked
Mo and Sports 