Jaron Ennis has an elite fighter’s mentality as he’s hellbent on unifying the world boxing welterweight championships before moving to super welterweight to secure legacy fights against the likes of Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.
That’s according to Matchroom COO Shaun Palmer, who told World Boxing News this month that his promotional company is thrilled with their recent signing, and that they all have high hopes for the devastating, 27-year-old puncher.
Ennis returns to the ring to fight for the first time under the Matchroom banner in front of his hometown Philadelphia fans Saturday for a main event against David Avanesyan.
“Jaron is the next American star in boxing,” Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn said in a statement sent to WBN when the fight was announced May 2.
Ennis, meanwhile, expects “a beautiful, dominating, crushing performance” on July 13, against a fighter who is in the last chance saloon for a world title shot.
“This is just the beginning for Jaron,” Hearn said.
Palmer told us: “We’re really glad we’ve got him, and we think Avanesyan is a very good opponent, but his mindset is get the mandatories out the way, unify, and then move up.”
At welterweight, with Crawford already moving up to 154 pounds, there are possible unification matches to be struck against WBC champion Mario Barrios, WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis, and WBO interim champ Brian Norman Jr.
Considering his pedigree, reputation, and penchant for punching power, they are matches Ennis would be favored to win, which means his greater challenges lay ahead.
There may be no challenge greater than one against Crawford, who makes his super welterweight bow August 3 against Israil Madrimov, in a fight that has the WBO championship and WBO interim belt on the line.
Crawford’s former rival Spence, meanwhile, is linked with a fall fight against WBO and WBC champion Sebastian Fundora.
“He’ll fight absolutely anyone, and build that legacy,” Palmer said of Ennis, on the possibility he ends up chasing Spence and Crawford to 154.
“That is the mindset,” he added. “Not necessarily chasing Crawford and Spence, but he just wants to fight the best.”
Alan Dawson is World Boxing News Lead Writer, a 2 x Sports Journalist of the Year finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Follow Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
