This past weekend from Philadelphia, PA, and live on DAZN, super welterweight Jaron “Boots” Ennis (35-0, 31KO) remained undefeated and made his case to be included in the top ten pound for pound list of current fighters. Ennis the completely unknown Uisma Lima (14-2, 10KO) of Portugal by way of Angola in the first round. The local Ennis sent Lima, who had never fought in the United States before, to the canvas twice before referee Shawn Clark had seen enough.
The thing about Ennis though, although is promotor Eddie Hearn says he is the best in the business, has not really fought anybody.
At 28-years-old and nearly 40 fights deep, Ennis does not have signature fight on his ledger. Not one fight anybody in the boxing business can say they have been interested to watch twice because it was just that entertaining and meaningful.
Ennis and Hearn can say the Philadelphia fighter has been ducked but at the end of the day the fights must be made.
After his quick work of Lima, Ennis systematically called out all the champions at super welterweight including Sebastian Fundora but the fight he states he really wants, and the boxing world does too, is against Golden Boy Promotions’ Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Ortiz Jr is not a champion at 154 pounds but might be considered the biggest threat to Ennis at that weight class and along with Fundora might be the biggest name in the division.
At the end, this weekend’s fight despite being for the vacant interim WBA super welterweight title, it was nothing but a showcase and homecoming for Ennis. Lima had nothing to do in the ring with Ennis and that was evident fairly quickly.
As far as the fight vs Texas’ Ortiz Jr, it should be an easy to make for the sake for both fighters. Just like Ennis, Ortiz Jr does not have a signature win and a weak resume. According to Oscar De La Hoya, Ortiz Jr’s promotor, they want the fight as well. With both promotional companies, Golden Boy and Matchroom, with ties with DAZN, they shouldn’t be too big of hurdles to make the fight come to fruition in the first half of 2026.
Ortiz Jr is scheduled to take on Erickson Lubin on DAZN in early November.
Other Musings
-This past Saturday night in Mexico, Mariana “Barbie” Juarez, long considered one of the biggest names in female boxing south of the border, participated in what she says is her second to last fight of her two-decade career. She defeated Japan’s Tomomi Takano via unanimous decision to retain her WBC Silver super bantamweight title. Juarez says for her last fight she wants a rematch with Jackie Nava.
-The Sebastian Fundora vs Keith Thurman championship fight scheduled for the end of October will now be in early December after the WBC super welterweight champion Fundora suffered a hand injury. The whole card was postponed.
-It is rumored former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will make a comeback in 2026 and a possible face off against fellow Brit and world champion Athony Joshua is in the works.
