Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis as soon as once more has Karen issues.
It’s not the scorn of a bitter previous white girl standing in the best way of the unbeaten IBF welterweight titlist. Slightly, the present roadblock in his path is beforehand conquered foe Karen Chukhadzhian. Ennis was ordered to defend the title versus the Ukraine-born Armenian boxer, who’s the present necessary challenger.
The Ring confirmed that the bout was ordered on July 31, and is prone to transfer ahead. Matchroom Sport chairman and 5k run aficionado Eddie Hearn confirmed in an interview with Charlie Parsons that the struggle is on the right track to happen November. Philadelphia is the focused vacation spot, which might mark a second straight hometown headliner for Ennish (31-0, 28 knockouts), The Ring’s No. 1 rated welterweight.
Chukhadzhian (24-2, 13 KOs) is unranked by The Ring, however is No. 1 within the eyes of the IBF, which is all that issues on this situation. The 28-year-old contender from Kiev soundly outpointed England’s Harry Scarff in a Could 17 IBF title eliminator in Rothenbaum, Germany. The win was his third straight since a lopsided defeat to Ennis final Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C.
Ennis received each spherical of their interim IBF welterweight title struggle (120-108 throughout the board). It marked the primary time in six years that Ennis went to the scorecards, ending a 20-fight streak. Of that run, Ennis stopped 19 opponents, together with one No-Contest.
Two stoppage victories have since adopted for Ennis, together with an improve to full titleholder. He battered Roiman Villa in a ninth-round technical knockout final July 8 in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey. The interim title protection was the closest he was afforded to a house sport in almost 5 years to that time.
Ennis was subsequently named full IBF titlist later within the 12 months. He was as a consequence of problem undisputed champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) in a title consolidation bout.
Crawford’s staff waited till the tip of the negotiation interval to plead their manner out of the matchup. The three-division champ was contractually certain to a rematch clause exercised by Errol Spence (28-1, 22 KOs), which prevented him from coming into another struggle. Crawford battered Spence in a ninth-round technical knockout to completely unify the welterweight titles final July 29 in Las Vegas.
Their rematch by no means noticed the sunshine of day. Crawford has since additionally relinquished the WBC and WBO welterweight titles. The swap hitter from Omaha, Nebraska was additionally eliminated as Ring champion as he now holds the WBA 154-pound title.
Matchroom Boxing made the hometown headliner dream occur shortly after they signed the prodigious expertise. Ennis defeated veteran contender David Avanesyan by way of fifth-round stoppage on July 13 at Wells Fargo Area in Philadelphia.
IBF guidelines overlaying necessary title fights and ultimate eliminators forbid individuals from coming into different contests throughout that point.
That mentioned, Matchroom has tried to discover different prospects for Ennis. A proposal was reportedly prolonged to WBC titleholder Mario Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs), No. 3 at 147. Ennis’ title was additionally talked about by Turki Alalshikh as a possible subsequent opponent for interim WBC 154-pound titleholder Vergil Ortiz.
Neither situation appeared reasonable at first look. It’s now even much less in order the deadline looms for Ennis and Chukhadzhian to succeed in an settlement.
Ennis was left together with his necessary title protection obligation when Cody Crowley was compelled out of their scheduled July 13 bout. Crowley was medically disqualified by the Pennsylvania Athletic Fee as a consequence of fluid accumulation in his proper eye. The unbeaten Canadian southpaw had double eye surgical procedure final November and nonetheless unable to struggle in July consequently.
