SATURDAY night played host to one of the performances of the year thus far, as Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis defeated Eimantas Stanionis to become the unified welterweight world champion and cement his position among the sport’s elite fighters.
Following the career-best display, Ennis, 34-0 (30 KOs), has been linked to a host of names at both welterweight and above, and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, has stated his belief that ‘Boots’ will defeat any fighter below super-middleweight on record.
Ennis underwhelmed in a rematch with Karen Chukhadzhian back in November, registering a below-par unanimous decision and a second defence of his IBF title but simultaneously backing up concerns regarding his difficulty making the 147lb weight limit.
With no IBF rehydration clause in place for Saturday’s unification showdown with Stanionis, the difference in the Philadelphian was clear to see, as Ennis dominated from the get-go and forced his fellow titleholder to retire on his stool between the sixth and seventh rounds.
Speaking with Boxing News after the win, Hearn beamed that the performance was exactly what the doctor ordered.
“I don’t see anyone beating him, definitely not at 147lbs. I don’t really see anyone beating him at 154lbs, and I’m not even sure that I see anyone beating him at 160lbs.
“My job is to hype these guys up, but what you saw tonight was a performance that allows me to do it genuinely. After the Chukhadzhian fight, I said that I can’t stand in that ring and say that this is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.
“Tonight gives me the ability to talk to you and say that this kid is very special. You only have to read social media; even the ones that painfully have to say it are saying ‘wow’.
“That is what we needed; we needed that ‘wow’ performance, and we needed it under pressure in a fight like that, and he delivered massively.”
Ennis and Hearn are now faced with the difficult decision of whether to remain at welterweight and pursue further unifications against champions Brian Norman Jr. (WBO) and Mario Barrios (WBC) or move up to super-welterweight and chase world titles in a second weight division.
