It’s official: former two-belt welterweight champ Jaron Ennis has a dance partner set for his 154-pound debut. As per multiple sources, “Boots” of Philadelphia will return home on October 11, when he will face southpaw Uisma Lima in his very first fight at the new weight.
Boots Ennis Fights Uisma Lima
Promoter Eddie Hearn, when recently speaking about Ennis’s ’54 bow, but not naming who the man in the opposite corner would be, stated how this is a dangerous test for Ennis, even if the casuals might have a ‘who’s he?’ reaction to Ennis fighting Lima.
Well, Lima is far from a big name but he is a talented and tough “road warrior” and the man who was born in Angola and now lives in Portugal has a good record at 14-1(10), the sole loss coming via decision defeat to Aaron McKenna, who is a superb fighter.
Ennis aims to put on a show in his first fight at the new weight, and then, we all hope and have been promised by Hearn, he will get it on with Vergil Ortiz sometime in the early part of next year.
Ennis, 34-0(30) made a short statement regarding the announcement of the Lima fight and what will come after:
“They can say what they want, it doesn’t make me a difference – these dudes can’t tie my shoes,” Ennis said. “I’m the best in the world, and they know it. I want all the big names and belts. The tour continues.”
It will be good for Ennis, and for Philly, for him to fight at home once again, and a good crowd should show up at the Wells Fargo Center on October 11. But Lima is adamant Boots should not in any way look past him.
Uisma Lima: A Dangerous Challenge
“I am very excited to be taking the biggest challenge of my life against a legit, world-level fighter in Ennis,” Lima said. “I believe in myself…..we will be coming to war. Please don’t take me lightly, Boots, as I am coming to win.”
28-year-old Ennis last fought back in April, when he stopped Eimantas Stanionis to add the WBA welterweight to the IBF belt he already held. Hearn, along with Boots himself, says Ennis will be a different beast up at a far more natural weight for him, 154 pounds.
32-year-old Lima fought in May of this year, when he stopped Shervantaigh Koopman to retain his IBO super welterweight title.