Jaron “Boots” Ennis is taking his show back to Philadelphia - and up to junior middleweight. The former unified welterweight champion (34-0, 30 KOs) will face Angola-born southpaw Uisma Lima on October 11 at the Wells Fargo Center, marking Ennis’ 154lbs debut and his first fight since dazzling past Eimantas Stanionis in April to add the WBA belt to his IBF crown. It’s also his first outing since inking a long-term promotional extension with Matchroom.
Watch Ennis vs. Stanionis highlights: Watch
Lima (14-1, 10 KOs), based in Porto, steps in with quiet momentum and a knack for hostile territory. His lone defeat came via decision to Aaron McKenna in 2023; since then he’s reeled off four wins, including back-to-back upsets over previously unbeaten Shervantaigh Koopman (15-0) and Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti (19-0). He was among a shortlist that included Josh Kelly for Ennis’ first assignment at 154.
Watch Lima vs. McKenna highlights: Watch
“They can say what they want…it don’t make me a difference,” Ennis said. “I’m the best in the world and they know it. I want all the big names and belts—the tour continues.” Promoter Eddie Hearn echoed the move: “It’s time to start the journey to two-weight glory…Uisma has consistently won fights on hostile territory, and he’s coming to Philly to make a name for himself.”
In the co-main event, fresh off the best win of his career, Khalil Coe (10-1-1, 8 KOs) will face two-time world title challenger Jesse Hart (31-3, 25 KOs) in a 10-round light-heavyweight battle. Coe, 29, avenged his lone defeat in May with a dominant sixth-round stoppage of Manuel Gallegos. He now heads into Hart’s backyard—where the Philly native is unbeaten in seven appearances—against a former world-level operator riding a five-fight streak, though inactive since his April 2024 TKO of Daniel Aduku.
Watch Coe vs. Gallegos highlights: Watch
Matchroom also confirmed a deep supporting cast. In the heavyweights, unbeaten southpaw Alexis Barriere (12-0, 10 KOs) meets Guido Vianello (13-3-1, 11 KOs); Barriere boxes in the U.S. for just the second time, while Vianello seeks a second straight upset of a Quebec-based contender after stopping Arslanbek Makhmudov last August. At 147, Jose Roman (14-1, 6 KOs) faces hometown unbeaten Tahmir Smalls (15-0, 11 KOs) over ten; Roman edged Jalil Hackett by split decision in December before their March rematch fell through, and Smalls blasted out Earl Bascome in one on Ennis’s April undercard.
The main DAZN portion opens with Zaquin Moses (4-0, 3 KOs) vs Antonio Dunton El Jr (6-4-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round junior lightweight bout, and also features Giorgio Visioli (8-0, 6 KOs) vs James Wilkins (13-3, 6 KOs) over eight at 130. Prospects Harley Mederos (8-0, 7 KOs), Dennis Thompson (7-0, 5 KOs), and Justin Palmieri (5-0, 3 KOs) are slated for separate six-rounders.
Fight card:
▪️Jaron Ennis vs. Uisma Lima, 12 rounds, junior middleweight
▪️Khalil Coe vs. Jesse Hart, 10 rounds, light heavyweight
▪️Alexis Barriere vs. Guido Vianello, 10 rounds, heavyweight
▪️Jose Roman vs. Tahmir Smalls, 10 rounds, welterweight
▪️Giorgio Visioli vs. James Wilkins, 8 rounds, super featherweight
▪️Zaquin Moses vs. Antonio Dunton El Jr., 6 rounds, super featherweight
▪️Harley Mederos vs. TBA, 6 rounds, TBA
▪️Dennis Thompson vs. TBA, 6 rounds, TBA
▪️Justin Palmieri vs. TBA, 6 rounds, TBA
