IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) faces WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) in a two-fight unification bout at 147 on April 12, live from DAZN from Boardwalk Hall. in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
This is the unification match that Ennis, 27, has been fighting since he was upgraded to the IBF welterweight champion in November 2023. Boots will need an impressive performance in this fight, as he has looked average in his last four fights against Karen Chukhadzhian x 2. , David Avanesyan, and Roiman Villa.
Ennis’ decision to turn down a bigger payday in a fight that would have turned him into a debut against interim WBC junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. on next month’s Riyadh season card on February 22 makes it even more critical that he shines against Stanionis.
Boxing fans think Boots is a fighter who lacks ambition and self-confidence after being schooled twice by Chukhadzhian.
Stanionis is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision over Gabriel Maestre on May 4 of last year. He looked better in that fight than Ennis has in any of his last four contests.
“This is a simply brilliant fight,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “When we signed Boots, I told him I’d have unifications for him, so it’s great to do this over the line for Jaron, and I know with the biggest fight of his career right in front of him, he’s going to shine even brighter than ever. Eimantas is a brilliant fighter, and this is without a doubt the #1 and #2 in the division.”
