IBF light heavyweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) will meet WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) in a two-fight unification clash at 147 on April 12, live on DAZN- in from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
This is the unification bout that Ennis, 27, has been craving since he was promoted to IBF welterweight champion in November 2023. Boots needs an impressive performance in this fight, having looked average in his last four fights against Karen Chukhadzhian x 2 , David Avanesyan and Roiman Villa.
Ennis’ decision to turn down a bigger payday in a fight that would see him start against WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. on next month’s Riyadh season card on February 22 makes it all the more critical that he shines against Stanionis.
Boxing fans think Boots is a fighter who lacks ambition and confidence after being trained twice by Chukhadzhian.
Stanionis is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision against Gabriel Maestre on May 4 last year. He looked better in that fight than Ennis has in any of the last four contests.
“This is just a brilliant fight,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “When we signed Boots, I told him we’d deliver unifications for him, so it’s great to bring this over the line for Jaron, and I know with the biggest fight of his career ahead of him, he’ll shine brighter than ever. Eimantas is a brilliant fighter, and this is without a doubt the No. 1 and No. 2 in the division.”
