Maxboxing exclusive: Jaron "Boots" Ennis talks who's next and leaving a legacy

By the time Jaron Ennis was born, the fighters whose skills and accomplishments he most aspires to were nearing the end of their careers.

Standing 5-foot-10 with a 74-inch reach and an amalgam of speed, double-fisted power and finishing skills, the 24-year-old switch-hitting Ennis (28-0, 26 KO) admires legendary boxers such Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns for their zest to mix it up with one another.

“I want my legacy to be like it is for Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns. I liked it when they all fought each other. I want to bring all that back,” said Ennis, who has been most impressive in his past two fights in April and October representing his 17th and 18th straight knockouts.

“I’m ready to take it back to the old school times when Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler, all fought one another. I want to be in old school fights like the trilogies. I have all of the tools with great footwork, being able to fight southpaw or orthodox, box, bang and slip punches."

Starting from the top, Ennis has been calling out the division’s best in undefeated left-handed IBF/WBC welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, his unbeaten switch-hitting, three-division WBO counterpart Terence “Bud” Crawford and WBA “super champion” Yordenis “54 Miracles” Ugas in order.

In victory over that trio, Ennis would become a champion, unified champion and undisputed 147-pound champion, a scenario “Boots” would like to repeat at 154, 160 and 168 pounds to become a four-division champion.

“It with Errol Spence, because he’s got two belts, then Bud, because he’s got another belt. Then Ugas. After that, I might defend it once or twice before going up to 154,” Ennis said.

“I want to win a belt at 147, unify, and then become the undisputed champion at welterweight. Then I want to do the same thing at 154, at 160 and then at 168. I want to be the first guy to do that in all four weight classes. My goal is to be four-time, four-weight division undisputed champion. Nobody’s ever done that before.”

Ennis accomplished first in each of his past two victories.

In April, Ennis scored a sixth-round KO of former champion Sergey Lipinets, who entered at 16–1–1 (12 KOs) but was knocked out for the first time. Lipinets was 3–0–1 (2 KOs) since being dethroned as IBF 140-pound champion in March 2018 by Mikey Garcia, who earned his fourth crown in as many divisions with a unanimous decision victory.

Lipinets won by 10th-round TKO in March 2019 over former champion Lamont Peterson, who retired after their fight. In his previous bout in October 2020, Lipinets battled to a draw with unbeaten Custio Claytonbefore before Ennis.

Last month, Ennis twice floored Puerto Rican title challenger Thomas Dulorme during a first-round knockout. Dulorme fell to his hands and knees a minute into the fight from Ennis’ equilibrium-stealing right hand behind his left ear.

Dulorme failed to beat the count after the second knockdown, being floored as Ennis’ left-right-left combination dropped him to his back. Ennis absorbed a pair of hard overhand rights between the knockdowns before finishing Dulorme with a straight left hand, right hook, straight left combination.

Dulorme was dominated more than at any previous time in his career, having lost decisions to Ugas, former champion Jamal James and undefeated Eiamantas Stanionis, by sixth- and seventh-round TKOs to Crawford and Luis Carlos Abregu, respectively, and battled to a draw with two-division champion Jessie Vargas.

"I know how to finish," Ennis said. "I’m the best finisher in the welter weight division.”

Born into a pugilistic legacy in boxing-rich Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ennis has been working out in gyms since he was in diapers. Trained by his father and manager, Derrick “Bozy” Ennis, who fought professionally, Ennis’ older siblings, Derek “Pooh” Ennis and Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis, retired in 2014 and, 2015.

Now it’s time to win a title, said Ennis, starting with the men “Boots” considers to be the Nos. 1 and two guys at welterweight besides himself.

“Spence is a great fighter, a southpaw, and I’d have to be smart, looking for the openings, breaking him down. I don’t go looking for the knockout, but in all of my fights, if the knockout comes, I’m going to finish him,” Ennis said.

"With Terence Crawford, it would go the same way. You have to go and take the belts, and that’s what I’m gonna do. I don’t let anybody get out any fight."

What about two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter and former titleholders Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia?

I feel like a fight with any of those top guys is the perfect opportunity to showcase my talents in spectacular fashion,” Ennis said. “One of those guys will have to see me. I’m not sure which one, but they’ll have to see me. And when they do, I feel as if as long as I listen to my dad, nobody can beat me."