Certainly one of today, “Boots” is gonna stroll throughout you – “you” being the abundance of championship-level boxers within the welterweight division. A multifaceted pugilist, the ambidextrous Jaron Ennis (29-0, 27 KO) is steadily rising up the ranks, and will have everybody at 147 lbs on crimson alert.
There are lots of redeeming qualities that the Philadelphia native possesses in his repertoire. He’s assured, snug in a large number of stances, lightning-quick, and highly effective past what meets the attention.
The person has by no means been previous spherical six in any combat of his skilled profession. There’s little to not like concerning the 25-year-old fighter, and now boxing followers should be asking, when will he be ushered into the combo of a sturdy welterweight stack of competitors, and who ought to he face first?
Earlier than surmising his pay-per-view breakout, let’s undergo his strengths and potential weaknesses.
A Diversified Combating Fashion
Maybe Ennis’ biggest benefit over his competitors is his capacity to modify between the orthodox and southpaw stances. Coupled with this are his cat-like reflexes and luxury transferring across the ring, usually quasi-dancing.
In his biggest take a look at to this point, in opposition to former junior welterweight titleholder Sergey Lipinets, he switched stances every spherical. Ennis began orthodox, switching to southpaw in spherical two, after which alternated round-by-round. Doing so saved Lipinets not sure and on his toes, because it does to different fighters.
Nonetheless, stances can solely go up to now, and should be backed up with further tangibles. Ennis, all through practically all of his fights, has confirmed to be the aggressor early. His relentless jab disrupts the opposing fighter from feeling him out on their finish and establishing distance. In his fights in opposition to Lipinets and most not too long ago Custio Clayton, he displayed an uncanny capacity to double jab, throwing two consecutive stunners with the identical hand.
However with this comes a minor flaw. Right here and there — which can be extra vital than the phrasing suggests — Ennis jumps ahead when throwing jabs and energy punches alike, leaving each ft. Fairly than lunging ahead and taking a step towards his opponent, he leaps, and concurrently shifts to the aspect to dodge a counter punch.
That is very akin to Shawn Porter or Manny Pacquiao, each recurring aggressors. Each used a large number of feints, shuffling of the ft, and “leaps” to attain factors. But, we’ve seen how such a mode of combating fared in opposition to fighters with stout protection, the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Errol Spence Jr. Ennis may have to wash this up earlier than graduating to raised competitors.
Confidence Upstairs Has a Trickle Down Impact
A part of being the aggressor signifies how certain a fighter feels of himself. Boots comes into each combat on the assault, strolling his opponents down. In lots of instances, he wears down opponents with jabs early, each to the top and physique, the place he’s extraordinarily efficient.
However in his combat in opposition to Armando Alvarez, he unloaded a barrage of mixtures from the onset. Uncustomarily for a lot of fighters out of the gate, Ennis wasted no time in letting Alvarez know simply how little respect he had for his pugilism.
His devastating physique photographs inflicted ache, the type that Alvarez couldn’t cover in his facial expressions, in the end succumbing to the erosion with two knockdowns in spherical three, earlier than in the end being stopped.
Ennis’ confidence usually results in him toying together with his opponents. In all three talked about fights, he channeled his internal Roy Jones Jr, swinging his proper arm like Popeye the Sailor Man, or placing his fingers down in taunting vogue.
Protection Wins Championships in Boxing, Too
Ennis may be very proficient in defending himself, the place credit score should be given to his nook — spearheaded by father and coach Derrick “Bozy” Ennis — for instilling in him nice defensive fundamentals.
Ennis isn’t stationary, using ring area at his disposal. His head motion is elite. Sure, elite. He sees punches earlier than they arrive, and might dodge with the perfect of them. He’s adept on the “Philly Shell” fashion, which he brings out once in a while, sensically pertaining to his roots.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24094843/1240673656.jpg)
Picture by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Photographs
However one other minor flaw is his vulnerability to get hit upstairs; notably, he ingested a flush uppercut in opposition to Alvarez. What might need been the most important shot he’s taken got here in opposition to Lipinets, the place he ate a clear and imply proper hook to the jaw in spherical two. This may very well be simply mounted with a extra critical method.
As soon as Boots is confronted with competitors whose identify alone calls for respect, it’s secure to say his antics will seemingly change extra towards stoicism.
Potential Fights Transferring Ahead
There are a slew of fighters Ennis should conquer earlier than being worthy to grace the squared circle with the likes of Errol Spence Jr or Terence Crawford, so one ought to pump the brakes in capturing him to the highest. However there are a number of former titleholders in opposition to whom he can show himself.
Keith Thurman
Thurman is a hard-hitting former unified titlist who loves going toe-to-toe with opponents and controls the tempo of a combat very properly. The veteran slugger would present Ennis a brand new fashion and stage of ability he hasn’t seen earlier than.
Thurman hasn’t been as energetic as he’d have appreciated in current occasions, lacking two-and-a-half years from the game earlier than returning in February in opposition to Mario Barrios. Coming off of damage, relaxation, and a win, a combat with Ennis could be mutually helpful to each fighters. For “One Time,” it is going to be a litmus take a look at to see if he can ascend again to the extent he was at just a few years again, worthy of a bout with the highest two fighters within the division. For Boots, he’ll know simply how a lot nearer he’s to capturing the elusive championships.
Adrien Broner
“The Drawback” has encountered a number of lately. He’s misplaced two of his final 4 fights, solely registering one win in that span. His ego and braggadocio has taken a success, however squaring up in opposition to Ennis may very well be a serious bounce-back for the 33-year-old.
A win in opposition to Broner would give Boots a victory on his resume in opposition to a giant identify, one with comparable attributes on offense and protection. In keeping with Compubox, in his final 10 fights, Ennis has landed 40 % or extra of his energy punches. Pitted in opposition to Broner, whose once-heralded protection has been cracked, that would spell victory for the aspiring contender.
Yordenis Ugas
The final 147 lb titleholder not named Crawford or Spence may very well be in line for a booster combat that would give him a case for one more title shot. Ugas is a well-rounded fighter who’s essentially sound.
On protection, when confronted with an onslaught of mixtures, he tends to crouch his physique and brace an excessive amount of, eliminating ample alternatives for counters. Nonetheless, the previous champion could be a serious victory for Ennis, and vice versa on Ugas’ aspect as he appears to be like to come back again sturdy.
