By Sam Volz: Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has already got his strategy figured out on how to defeat IBF, WBA & WBC welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr when or if they fight this year after their next respective fights.
Ennis says his strategy for beating the 32-year-old Spence is to back him up, hit him with double shots with the same hand, work his body and use the jab.
In other words, the 25-year-old Boots Ennis will look to beat Spence by using the same style he usually employs.
Boots (29-0, 27 KOs) will attempt to force a guaranteed title shot against Spence this Saturday night on January 7th, when he fights Karen Chukhadzhian for the vacant interim IBF 147-lb title on Showtime PPV at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) has what could be the final title defense of his IBF title in April. Spence will likely fight the inactive former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman.
After that, it’s widely assumed that Spence will face WBO champ Terence Crawford or vacate his three belts and move to 154 to begin campaigning in that weight class. In doing so, Spence will be swerving Boots Ennis to avoid marring his record.
Boots Ennis has clear path to IBF title
“I definitely think it’s a clear path to the main belt, the IBF. I feel like it’s going to put me right there,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to Fighthype when asked if his January 7th clash against Karen Chukhadzhian will set him up for a fight against IBF welterweight champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr.
“The IBF is real strict with what’s going on, and I feel that’s what’s next,” Ennis continued. “Whoever Spence fights next, I think he has a certain amount of days [120] to fight me.
The path is there for Ennis to fight for a world title if he successfully defeats Karen this Saturday night, but the only question is whether he’ll be fighting for the vacant IBF title or against Spence.
Ennis seems to believe Spence will fight him, but that sounds like a naive pipe dream. If Errol were interested in fighting Boots Ennis, he would have already told the media & fans of his plans for doing so, but he hasn’t, and you have to assume that to mean that he doesn’t want to take the risk of facing him.
“Hopefully, we can make it happen. I feel he’ll fight me. I feel like the fans want to see it. If it ain’t him and Crawford, they want to see him and me. I feel like it’ll happen,” said Boots Ennis when asked if he thinks Spence will fight him next.
“I didn’t watch too much on him. My team and my brother have been watching him,” said Spence about his opponent Karen Chukhadzhian. “We got a great game plan. I’ve been watching a lot of Mike Tyson. I can’t wait.
“Pressure, move your head when walking in, being smart and a lot of double hands with the same hand. Things like that,” said Boots Ennis when asked what he’s learned from watching old Mike Tyson fights.
“I just need to go out there, be smart, be me and have fun, be dominant in every part of the fight, and bring home a big knockout. That’s all and look good doing it.
Beating Spence at his own game
“I’ll win the fight because I’ll beat him at his own game,” Ennis said when asked why he thinks he’ll defeat Spence. “A lot of guys don’t back him up, go to his body, or jab. I feel like I’ll do that. The better my competition will be the better I will be.
“I’m the best welterweight in the world,” said Boots Ennis when asked if he believes Spence is the best welterweight in the world, better than Crawford. “I’m going to keep continuing to improve it each and every time.
“We’re going to start on January 7th, and hopefully, after that, we get a big-name guy, and we can make a mark on him. That’s the goal.
“Tank is definitely cool. It’s going to be a great show. Hopefully, we’re going to see the best knockout,” said about wanting his knockout of Karen to be better than Gervonta Davis’ KO of Hector Luis Garcia.
“I think that’s a great fight. I feel like Tank is going to do his thing,’s said Jaron when asked about his thoughts on the Tank vs. Ryan Garcia fight in April. “I feel like Tank is going to get him out of there.
“No, it’s not going to be easy. You can’t underestimate anybody. You got to remember that Ryan is long, he got speed, and he’s got power. It’s not going to be easy, but I feel Tank is going to find a way and get him.
“I feel like you got to do it for legacy. To miss out on one fight is not going to hurt,” said Ennis when asked if he’ll let money get in the way of big fights. “I feel like it’s about legacy.
“Money can help too, but I feel like legacy is great too. So I feel like it goes hand in hand. I’m willing to fight any and everybody. I can’t wait. Like I said before, I want to go forward, not backward.
“My top five favorite fighters? I don’t know. I don’t really watch too many people that’s now. I watch Canelo; I watch a lot of guys. I watch Tank, Shakur. I watch all those guys.
“I watch the guys I came up with in the amateurs and Canelo. Right now, I’m just coasting up, finishing up camp, and losing the last couple of pounds that I’ve got to lose. That’s about it. Fight time is next week.
“Definitely, yes,” said Ennis when asked if Spence is required to fight him in 2023. “It’s finally paying off. This is my time now. Everything is finally falling in place and going right.
“We can definitely keep it where it’s at, and I can’t wait. It’s going to be fireworks, and that’s what everybody is waiting for,” said Ennis about a fight against Spence.