By Dan Ambrose: Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis says he’ll take a fight against undisputed junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo if offered to him if he can’t get Errol Spence Jr or any of the other names of top fighters on his list at welterweight.
Ideally, Boots Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs) would like to challenge Spence for his IBF 147-lb title this year, but if, for some reason, that match and other big fights can’t happen in the division, he’ll move up and fight Charlo for his four 154-lb titles.
On Saturday, Ennis has a small hurdle in front of him in the form of Karen Chukhadzhian, who he’ll be facing for the vacant interim IBF welterweight title on the Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia card on Showtime PPV at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C. Ennis-Chukhadzhian will be the co-feature bout on the card.
For the time being, Boots Ennis is still fighting on undercards, but that’ll soon change once he captures the IBF title by beating Spence or Terence Crawford. Those are fights that Boots needs to catapult him to stardom.
Thus far, those matches have been elusive, as Spence & Crawford haven’t shown the desire to want to face Ennis. Hence, he’s fighting for the interim IBF title to box Spence in so he can squirm free to avoid him.
“He was trying to stir the pot, but we got people in front of us now. We’re going to handle our work on Saturday night and see what happens,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to Fight Hub TV about his argument with Rashedi Ellis during Thursday’s press conference.
“I don’t knock him [Ellis] for not taking the fight for the money. It was presented to him [the fight offer] right before this fight,” said Boots Ennis about a fight being offered to Rashedi to face him on January 7th.
“At first, it was supposed to be me and Stanionis, then they got the WBA call. They said something about me and him. We said, ‘Yeah,’ and I guess they said, ‘No,’ because there wasn’t enough money or whatever.
“Then we put in a petition to the IBF and got the IBF interim belt. I think he’ll [Ellis] will fight. If I can’t get one of the champs or Vergil Ortiz or Stanionis, if I have to take a stay-busy fight, I’ll definitely fight him [Rashedi].
“Fighting the IBF interim belt now, I feel like this is no choice. They [Errol Spence] either got to fight me or vacate. I’m not too sure. After I get this win on Saturday night, we’ll see,” said Ennis when asked if he thinks Spence will fight him after his April title defense against a still-to-be-determined opponent.
“Hopefully, it is me. He’s got 120 days after this [April] fight to defend his [IBF] belt against me. It doesn’t matter what he does. They’re the top guys at the weight, Bud, Spence; you got to respect them. I’m coming to take their belts.
“Both fights are going to be easy to make. Since Bud is free, and Spence is already on this side [PBC], so I feel both fights will be easy to make.
“Without me, you can go, Spence, Bud, you can go Vergil [Ortiz Jr], Keith [Thurman], Ugas, and Stanionis,” said Boots Ennis when asked to rank the welterweights.
“I feel like Spence did the most work at 147. He’s the man at the weight because he’s got three belts. Bud only got one [title]. Bud was the man at 140, and now he’s trying to make a mark at 147. I feel Spence is the one because he’s got all three belts.
“I feel after this fight it’s going to change a lot more. Everything feels regular to me right now. It’s just normal,” Boots said when asked how he feels knowing that he’s on the cusp of superstardom. It’s normal to me. I’m getting used to it, and I feel great about it.
“If I get an opportunity at 154, I’ll definitely go to 154. Everybody says I’m a big 147. I’ll definitely take an opportunity at 154. Yeah,” said Boots when asked if he’s fight Jermell Charlo for the undisputed at junior middleweight if it were offered to him.
“I’m young and hungry. I don’t care who they put in front of me. I want to prove myself and show the world my talent,” said Ennis.