By Dan Ambrose: #2 WBO Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis says he’s not happy that he was passed over by WBO welterweight champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford when he defended his title against the lower ranking #6 David Avanesyan last Saturday night on BLK Prime PPV in Omaha, Nebraska.
Despite Crawford’s trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre claiming that nobody at 147 wants to fight Bud, the undefeated 25-year-old Boots Ennis makes it clear that he’s been calling him out nonstop without any luck. Ennis feels Crawford is ducking him, and a lot of boxing fans feel the same way.
Boots Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs) thinks Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) should have defended against him rather than Avanesyan, who wasn’t viewed in the same light as him.
Next month, Boots will be facing Karen Chukhadzhian (21-1, 11 KOs) in a 12 round bout for the interim IBF welterweight title on January 7th on Showtime pay-per-view on the undercard of Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia card at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
“It don’t make sense that my name didn’t come up at all when I’m ranked higher than the guy that he fought,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to Fighthype about him being passed over by WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford for his fight with #6 David Avanesyan last Saturday despite being ranked higher at #2.
“Everybody knows I want a fight with him and Spence and whoever else; Thurman, Stanionis, Vergil Ortiz, I want to fight all these guys. They know that; I feel like they try and go around me. They can’t do that for too long, though. Either fight each other or fight me.
“They got to do something. I feel like they’re holding up a bit. Either way, I feel like I’ll fight one of those guys soon, whether it’s at 147 or 154. I’ll go in his living room to fight him.
“I just want to show my skills and my talent and show the world that I’m really that guy. I’m the best in that weight class. Me going to his [Crawford] platform and his hometown and taking that belt from him and doing it in a beautiful fashion. That’s what I’m going to do. Me being victorious and doing that that’s going to be a big mark in my boxing legacy.
“I haven’t looked at any tape on him,” said Boots Ennis about his January 7th opponent Karen Chukhadzhian. “I let my team, my dad, my brothers, and the rest of my guys look at him. I listen to what they say, and I do certain things in sparring.
“I know he’s from Ukraine and has that European style. He’s probably got a good background. I’m not too worried at all,” said Ennis.