With his emphatic win over Eimantas Stanionis, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has sent shockwaves through the boxing world. It wasn’t a ‘super fight’ in the mold of a Tank Davis, Canelo, or Terence Crawford event. But it was a critical fight. One that could shift the welterweight landscape and maybe even ripple into the divisions above.
But consider where the narrative stood before Saturday night. From being dubbed an ’email champion’ to being unfairly compared to Crawford without having faced top-tier opposition, Ennis faced a barrage of doubt. One recurring critique, though quieter than others, was about his weight. Just days before the bout in Atlantic City, images of his shredded physique circulated online. To some, he looked too lean, perhaps even unhealthy. Whispers grew: Did Boots struggle to make 147? Was he weight-drained? At the post-fight press conference, Ennis addressed those whispers head-on.
Jaron Ennis sets the record straight
Eddie Hearn began the presser with high praise. Calling Ennis’ performance as one of the best, he found himself ‘mesmerized.’ With the WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine belts now in his possession, Hearn declared Ennis a pound-for-pound great. But it wasn’t just the win. It was how Ennis did it, against an elite opponent, on a big stage. When his turn came, Boots Ennis emphasized how he just proved what people were questioning. He belongs at the top. As soon as Hearn answered the query about Ennis’ next move, a potential fight against Brian Norman Jr. or Mario Barrios, a reporter asked, “For this fight, a lot of people were talking about your weight, and was it going to affect you tonight? First of all, what do you have to say to those people who were saying you broke away? What do you have to say about your power ?”
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 13: Jaron Ennis weighs in at the Westin LAX for his IBF welterweight fight against Custio Clayton being held at Dignity Health Sports Park, on May 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Ennis just shook his head, almost amused. He shut down the speculation with ease. “Y’all social media people are crazy.” Boots said. “I’ve seen so many people talking. I looked weight-drained…He doesn’t look like he’s going to make weight, this, that, and the third. I was at weight on Tuesday.”
He claimed that he even ate the day before the weigh-in. He was strong, sharp, and far from drained. “Y’all don’t know what y’all be talking about. Ya’ll just be talking on the net, and, uh, y’all gotta chill. You seen it, and I really am just getting in my bag, getting in my groove for real. Like I said before, none of these fighters can mess with me. I’m the best in the world,” he stressed.
From proving a point to picking the path
Earlier Hearn echoed that sentiment. Ennis, he said, isn’t chasing paydays. He’s chasing legacy. After the Chukhadzhian fight, moving to 154 would’ve been easy. But unifying at 147 was the bigger mission. “I don’t know the ins and outs of how Boots felt at the weight,” Hearn admitted.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 30: Jaron Ennis reacts after defeating Thomas Dulorme in a welterweight bout at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 30, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ennis won the fight with a first-round knockout. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
“But certainly at the weigh-in he looked extremely comfortable, um, and you know that was always part of the chat was after the Chukhadzhian fight, is it time to move up? And you know I would have felt really like we hadn’t done our job if he moved up without unifying the division,” said the Matchroom boss.
So Ennis’ performance and his words might finally silence the weight-drain narrative. And if not, maybe they should. Whether it’s going for undisputed at 147 or climbing to 154 for new challenges, he’s earned the right to do it his way.
Do you agree that questions about Jaron Ennis’ weight should be put to rest now?
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