Jaron Ennis beats Karen Chukhadzhian, could face Vergil Ortiz next

Jaron Ennis said no one wants to see his latest fight, an easily won rematch against a strong underdog Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. He said he accepted the mandatory title defense of his IBF welterweight title against Karen Chukhadzhian because he had to, as even the fighter known as “Boots” seemed to share lukewarm consumer interest.

“He really didn’t want to fight that guy,” said Ennis’ father and trainer, Bozy. “He really wasn’t happy about it. You could see it.”

Ennis, Philadelphia’s only current boxing champion, earned more than $1 million to fight Chukhadzhian, but he is seeking a bigger fight. It could be that there are only a few months left until his wish comes true.

Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn said the Germantown native will either fight another 147-pound champion or vacate his title and move up in weight to challenge WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz. A fight with Ortiz – which would be more significant than any welterweight unification bout – would take place on February 22nd in Saudi Arabia.

“It will be very tempting,” Hearn said of a fight with Ortiz. “It’s a brilliant fight. Boots vs. Vergil Ortiz is one of the best fights ever. Not just in the division, but also in boxing. Two great young fighters.”

How unequal was the fight on Saturday evening? Ennis was a -4,000 favorite, meaning a bettor had to bet $4,000 to make just $100. It was almost impossible to make money from Ennis because the books left Chukhadzhian no chance.

Ennis controlled the pace Saturday night but fended off punches from Chukhadzhian, who was much sharper than in their first fight in January 2023. Ennis’ corner instructed him after each round to push for the knockout, which Chukhadzhian avoided by Ennis held on to the fight the entire time. Hearn said Ennis did not respect Chukhadzhian’s power but also lacked motivation for the fight. It was better than their first fight, but still lacked action.

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According to Compubox, Chukhadzhian landed the most punches (173) of any Ennis opponent, landing 90 more punches than in their first meeting. Ennis, who alternated between southpaw and right-hander, paced the action by throwing 208 more punches than Chukhadzhian.

A whirlwind from Ennis forced Chukhadzhian to his knees in the fifth round, and Ennis nearly finished it off with another barrage in the tenth round. Ennis won all three scorecards by wide margins (119-107, 117-109, 116-110) but said his performance was just fine. It was the first time he fought 12 rounds.

“We have a really big decision to make,” Hearn said. “I never like to give up world titles, but sometimes the time is right. We may get a substantial offer to fight Vergil Ortiz in Saudi Arabia. From then on it’s Jaron and Bozy. They’ll take my advice, but these guys will make the decision.”

Ennis told Hearn earlier this year that his dream was to become a unified champion at 147 pounds. So they accepted the title defense against Chukhadzhian, which in boxing parlance is considered a “stay busy” fight. Get through Saturday and Hearn would put Ennis in line with a 147-pound champion. But those plans may have changed. It appears to be time for 27-year-old Ennis to step up.

A win against WBO champion Brian Norman, WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis or WBC champion Mario Barrios would give Ennis another welterweight title. A fight with Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs) will bring Ennis a bigger win and more attention.

“I think it’s a great fight,” Hearn said. “Boots knows he has to be better than he was tonight against a fighter like Vergil Ortiz. But training will be different. The mindset will be different. The challenge will be different. And that’s where you’ll see the best of a great fighter like Boots.”

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Ennis’ father said the importance of staying at 147 pounds was “a legacy” as it would give the fighter a chance to unify one of boxing’s historic divisions.

But the better opponents — not just Ortiz — seem to be waiting at 154 pounds. Ennis has long been looking for a fight with pound-for-pound king Terrence Crawford, who moved to 154 pounds earlier this year. Ryan Garcia is one of the biggest names in the sport and is expected to fight at 154 after returning from a suspension this summer for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He tweeted during Ennis’ fight that he would knock him out.

Ennis now has a decision to make: bigger fight or title shot. Either way, he’ll probably have a fight to look forward to next year. And one that people want to see.

“Like I always say, I want to fight the best,” Ennis said. “I don’t try to fight against rank-and-file or lower-class players. If you fight the best, you’ll be better.”