Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis says he’s open to a fight against Devin Haney at 147. IBF welterweight champion Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) welcomes a fight against Haney if he wants to come up to welterweight to challenge him.
Haney Focused on Easier Targets
Haney seems more interested in staying at 140 for another two years, focused on trying to become undisputed in that weight class.
Some see this as a fearful decision on Haney’s part because he lacks power and would be completely overmatched against Ennis and perhaps even Eimantas Stanionis. Fighting at 140, which is a dead division, Haney is a big fish in a small pond, and that gives him an advantage.
In an interview today, promoter Eddie Hearn didn’t seem eager about matching Haney against Boots Ennis, saying that Devin is “tiny” next to him. Haney doesn’t look tiny, but it’s understandable why Hearn would prefer to keep those two revenue streams separate.
If Hearn feeds Devin to Boots, his popularity will nosedive, and then he’d be stuck with a fighter who can’t draw. Haney is already having problems selling tickets and bringing in PPV buys. But if he loses to Boots Ennis, he could permanently ruin his popularity.
Hearn Understandably Protective of Devin
“Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is coming for everything at 147, and then he’s going to 154,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing. “Now is a good time for him to attack the 147-lb division. Look at those names. Barrios, Stanionis, those are the guys that can be offered big money to unify the division. That has to be the plan.
“Him against Terence Crawford in six to twelve months, that’s the biggest fight in boxing. When I told him about him earlier, he gave me a look in my eyes, ‘I will beat that guy.’I rate Terence Crawford, but I’m ready to roll the dice, and I believe I’ve got the A-side,” said Hearn.
Ennis Hungry for Welterweight Domination
“That’s a fight I’ve been wanting. Him and Errol Spence, but Errol moved up,” said Boots Ennis about wanting Crawford. “Bud is moving up too, but they got to see me. I’m coming for them. Anybody that’s around that 147, 154, 160, 168, it doesn’t matter who it is,” said Boots when asked if he’d be interested in fighting Devin Haney.
“Devin is a big 140, but he’s tiny next to Boots,” said Hearn. “You’re talking about a guy that could easily go to 154 and easily go to 160,” Hearn said about Boots. He could easily fight at 154 and 160. But first, we’ve got to rule this division [147], pick up all the silverware and dominate, and then move to 154.”
