A night of glittering performances last Saturday saw Jaron Ennis shine brighter than ever, cementing his place as the top dog at 147lbs.
Of course, the unified welterweight champion’s ruthless sixth-round stoppage victory over Eimantas Stanionis, a sturdy operator in his own right, was what dominated the headlines.
At the same time, though, a string of compelling talking points that unfolded at the Broadwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has nonetheless left fans with far more food for thought.
Shakhram Giyasov’s motivation transcends boxing
The WBA’s number-one ranked welterweight contender, Shakram Giyasov, made his daughter a promise – a promise he intends to keep – before her untimely passing last month.
More than anything, the fact that he was able to remain focused on the task at hand, producing a fourth-round finish over Franco Ocampo, after everything he has been through, is a testament to his remarkable strength of character.
But now, the 31-year-old’s desire to become a world champion has only become more fierce, with Giyasov, 17-0 (10 KOs), looking to make his ambition a reality for none other than his late daughter.
Omari Jones possesses perfect blend of attributes
The least one would expect from an Olympic bronze medallist transitioning into the professional ranks is a pair of fast feet.
As it happens, Omari Jones has far more strings to his bow, not least regarding a spiteful finishing instinct that saw William Jackson drop to the canvas.
It was a punishing first-round body shot, in fact, that earned Jones, 2-0 (2 KOs), his second victory inside the distance, with the 22-year-old already displaying a degree of destructive power and fluid movement that could take him all the way.
Raymond Ford must face Nunez-Rikiishi winner
Raymond Ford’s comprehensive victory over Thomas Mattice, which told a similar story to his previous outing at 130lbs, unfolded with absolutely no drama whatsoever.
Instead, the 26-year-old belongs nowhere but the elite level where, down at featherweight, the only fighter to get the better of him was Nick Ball.
Now with an extra 4lbs to play around with, Ford, 17-1-1 (8 KOs), looks a vastly more rejuvenated version of his former self, ready to take on any of the world super-featherweight champions.
The most likely outcome, it seems, would be for him to face the winner of Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez and Masanori Rikiishi’s clash for the vacant IBF title on May 28, representing an entirely winnable fight, regardless of the result, for Ford.
Jaron Ennis looks a different beast without weight restriction
Rightfully so, the entire boxing world spent all of Sunday waxing lyrical about Ennis’ performance from the night before, collectively celebrating his undeniable talent and explosive attacks in the heat of battle.
It could be said, however, that the removal of an IBF rehydration clause was what ultimately contributed to his career-best display, allowing ‘Boots’ to enjoy a sizable weight advantage over Stanionis, 15-1 (9 KOs).
As a result, the truly dominant nature of his victory may convince Ennis, 34-0 (30 KOs), that his surge at 147lbs is not yet over.
Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz Jr is the fight to make
While he has expressed a desire to become the undisputed welterweight king, Ennis will likely struggle to persuade Mario Barrios or Brian Norman Jr to step into the ring with him.
Without a great deal of money on the table, a cross-promotional unification with either champion will, in truth, be difficult for the men in blazers to justify.
And yet, a more intriguing matchup against Vergil Ortiz Jr just so happens to be waiting for ‘Boots’ up at super-welterweight.
While it would mean abandoning his title aspirations at 147lbs, the future of the 27-year-old’s career is undoubtedly in the higher divisions and, let’s be honest, where better place to start than a mouth-watering showdown with Ortiz?
