Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis have finalized their welterweight title unification bout. The fight, which promoter Eddie Hearn has dubbed “#1 vs #2” in the 147-pound division, will air live on DAZN from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. For Ennis, this opportunity marks the first time he’ll unify since being upgraded to IBF champion in November 2023.
Though Ennis boasts an impressive unbeaten record, fans in social media argue he's looked ordinary in his last four bouts, including two somewhat underwhelming contests against Karen Chukhadzhian. With skeptics pointing to those fights as evidence of vulnerability, many believe Ennis must deliver a definitive performance on April 12 to prove he’s truly the best at welterweight.
Watch Ennis vs. Chukhadzhian highlights: Watch
Stanionis, meanwhile, is coming off a solid unanimous decision win over Gabriel Maestre last May. He’s been inactive for stretches, but his defense and aggression have garnered praise from observers who feel he might pose a far tougher test than Ennis has faced so far. Hearn’s enthusiasm for this matchup suggests he believes Stanionis has the credibility to validate Ennis as either the top dog at 147 or expose any weaknesses in the Philadelphia native’s skill set.
"Boots" Ennis has been forthright about his ambitions to stay at welterweight until he collects all available titles. We wonder if he’d fare better by moving up to 154, but facing junior middleweights, where many fighters hit harder, presents its own risks. For now, Ennis is focused on staking a firm claim at 147, and he insists he feels "great" and is ready to "put on a show" for fans.
Fight card:
▪️Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis, 12 rounds, for the IBF World Welterweight title
▪️Raymond Ford vs. Thomas Mattice, 10 rounds, super featherweight
▪️Arturo Popoca vs. Christian Carto, 10 rounds, for the WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight title
▪️Shakhram Giyasov vs. Franco Maximiliano Ocampo, 10 rounds, welterweight
▪️Tahmir Smalls vs. Earl Bascome, 8 rounds, welterweight
▪️Omari Jones vs. William Jackson, 6 rounds, super welterweight
▪️Francisco Rodriguez vs. Naheem Parker, 6 rounds, lightweight
▪️Zaquin Moses vs. Alex Pallette, 4 rounds, super featherweight
