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Jaron Ennis scored his 29th professional victory this past Saturday with an emphatic knockout against Ottawa-native Custio Clayton.
'Boots' fought the Canadian contender in Carson, California on the undercard of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano rematch and asserted his will from the opening bell.
The difference in handspeed was evident from the start as the Philadelphia-native immediately put Clayton on the backfoot with stiff jabs. Clayton offered little resistance as Ennis walked him down with immense confidence. Jabs to the body, looping rights, and fluid combinations, 'Boots' managed to display a versatile and dynamite toolbox during a short night at the office.
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Watch Ennis' Saturday night knockout in the video below:
Towards the end of the second round, Ennis knocked out his opponent with a powerful right hand. Clayton, who arrived in California with an undefeated record of 19-0-1, struggled to get to his feet. When he did, he was on wobbly legs and staggered hard towards the ropes, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
Ennis' victory on Saturday made him the number one contender for the IBF Welterweight Championship, a title currently held by the great Errol Spence.
Spence is a tremendous fighter and one of the pound-for-pound best right now. A fight against fellow welterweight king Terence 'Bud' Crawford is a bout every boxing fan is aching to see. Should the two finally step into the ring with one another, the winner would cement themselves as the pound-for-pound greatest boxer.
However, as great as Spence and Crawford are - they have earned every single ounce of praise heaped upon them - the sweet science may have seen the arrival of a new chief. With pure dynamite in his hands, sharpened fundamentals, and youth on his side, Jaron Ennis might just be the next face of boxing.
Jaron Ennis has all the tools to take the boxing world by storm
At only 24 years of age, Jaron Ennis is yet to enter his physical prime and already has what it takes to become boxing's next big superstar.
'Boots' possesses an exciting and explosive fighting style while also maintaining polished fundamentals. He has swift hands and incredible knockout power, as proven by his 29 victories, 27 coming by way of knockout. He is also big and long for his weightclass, standing at 5'10 and equipped with a reach of 74 in.
As one of the youngest punchers in his division, it's difficult to find another fighter like 'Boots' at 147 pounds. Vergil Ortiz, a brutal puncher and undefeated star from Texas who also stands at 5'10 and is also 24 years old, is the only championship contender at welterweight that can be compared to Ennis.
It's important to note that Terence Crawford and Errol Spence are already 34 and 32 respectively. Against these welterweight kingpins, Ennis has the advantage of youth. With youth comes unbreakable confidence. 'Boots' believes he is the best and this belief beams every time he steps into the ring. Every punch he throws, every feint he makes, and every movement he takes is done with the upmost confidence.
Stepping into the ring with 'Boots' is a tall order. Ultimately, what we have in Jaron Ennis is a young hungry lion with an iron will that is equipped with the ability to put anyone to sleep. This makes him a walking nightmare for any man hovering around 147 pounds.
What's next for Jaron Ennis?
As stated above, Ennis is now number one in the IBF rankings. Should the organization enforce him as a mandatory challenger, Errol Spence would be compelled to enter negotiations with the 24-year-old or face the possibility of getting stripped. Seeing how hard Spence has worked to unify the welterweight division, it's hard to imagine him being okay with simply vacating the belt.
'Boots' has been loud and clear about wanting to fight Spence. While not afraid to give 'The Truth' his credit as one of the sport's best, Ennis has shown no hesitation in bringing up the Texan's name in frequent media callouts.
Watch Ennis and his entourage exchange barbs with Spence and his team:
While the Philadelphia native feels more than ready to challenge 'The Truth', he may need to wait due to the possibility of the highly-anticipated Crawford-Spence matchup, an epic clash boxing fans have been clamoring for for years.
Of course, a bout against Terence 'Bud' Crawford would also be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Jaron Ennis. However, Crawford holds the WBO Welterweight Championship and the organization has Vergil Ortiz above 'Boots' in the rankings.
A fight against fellow rising star, Vergil Ortiz, would be an exciting affair. Both men are undefeated and bring the heat every time they enter the ring. Stepping between the ropes and emerging victorious against another red-hot prospect like Ortiz would help Ennis quell any doubters and squash any arguments against his claim for a title shot.
Conor Benn, son of British boxing legend Nigel Benn, is an undefeated prospect from England. He is in a good position in several rankings and is coming off an impressive pair of knockout victories against Chris Algieri and Chris van Heerden. Should Jaron Ennis not be able to challenge Spence or Crawford, Benn would be a worthy opponent to try and conquer.
Keith Thurman has also been cited by Jaron Ennis as a possible opponent. Thurman returned to the sport in February of this year after a long hiatus by defeating Mario Barrios. While Thurman is not the dangerous puncher he once was, he would be the most experienced fighter 'Boots' has ever fought.
No matter who the 24-year-old sensation fights next, whether it's a champion or challenger, fans should always stay tuned as they may be witnessing the rise of boxing's next top star.
