by Declan Taylor JARON ENNIS might have thought he would never box Karen Chukhadzhian again given how comfortably he beat him when they met back in January 2023. But the IBF had other ideas and reinstated the Ukrainian as mandatory for Boots’ IBF welterweight title. Now, ahead of their not-exactly-anticipated rematch, we take a look at both boxers’ best wins.
Ennis (L) dismantled Avanesyan (R). Mandatory Credit: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom. Vs David Avanesyan, July 13, 2024, Philadelphia – TKO 5 This had been billed as something of an acid test for the undefeated Ennis but it looked like nothing of the sort given how the home favourite dismantled the Armenian.
On his big Philadelphia homecoming, in front of 14,000 fans at the Wells Fargo Centre, Ennis took control almost instantly and landed routinely to both head and body. He got his breakthrough when a right hand dropped Avanesyan in the fifth and the challenger did not emerge at the start of the sixth. Vs Romain Villa, July 8, 2023, Atlantic City – KO 12 Colombian Romain Villa came into this one off the back of a big win over the 24-0 Rashidi Ellis in what was his first 12-round fight six months earlier.
However, his second one did not go so well with Boots in fine form. This had been something of a masterclass from the Philly star before he closed the show with a big cross-hook-cross combination from his southpaw stance which sent Villa crumbling to the canvas. Vs Thomas Dulorme, October 30, 2021, Las Vegas – KO 1.