IBF interim welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis weighed in at 145 1/2 lbs, and his opponent Roiman Villa came in at 146 1/2 lbs during Friday’s weigh-in for their main event 12-round bout on Showtime this Saturday, July 8th, at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Thee card starts aat 9:30p.m. ET.
Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs) will be tested by the gatekeeper Villa (26-1, 24 KOs), and he’ll need to prove if he’s an elite fighter or just a good one. If the 26-year-old Boots Ennis isn’t what people think he is, Villa will expose him just like he did with his last opponent Rashidi Ellis.
For Boots, this is his second consecutive fight coming in light at 145.5 lbs, and he didn’t look good in his last contest against Karen Chukhadzhian last January. It’s possible that Ennis is overtraining for his fights, and losing too much weight during camp.
Complete weights
- Jaron Ennis – 145.5 vs. Roiman Villa 146.5
- Yoelvis Gómez 159 vs. Marquis Taylor 158
- Edwin De Los Santos 133 vs. Joseph Adorno 135
It could be a mistake for Ennis to get involved in a toe-to-toe battle because that would play in Villa’s favor.
“We were waiting to see how the welterweight division was shaking out for Boots, seeing if Spence-Crawford would get made, seeing if Thurman was an opportunity. All the pieces started falling in place,” said Stephen Espinoza of Showtime to YSM Sports Media about the Jaron Ennis vs. Roiman Villa fight.
“The best opportunity to get Boots in the ring as quickly as
possible was Roiman Villa. Villa, most definitely earned the
opportunity. So I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I know it’s going to be all action because you’re the two guys [are sluggers]. Boots can fight any style you want.
“Roiman Villa is a come-forward pressure fighter. Look, so far, Villa just keeps winning. You put guys in front of him, and he keeps winning. But regardless, coming up short against Boots is nothing to be ashamed of.
“He still has got a lot left in his career, win or lose against Boots. Obviously, a win against Boots puts him on a whole different level, but with a good performance, he’s definitely proven he’s a top guy, a gatekeeper, somebody that can separate an elite fighter from a very good fighter, and he’s only getting more experience.
“So is one of those dangerous names that comes in with nothing to lose, with a real action come forward style, anything can happen.
“Look, people have been saying it for a while, whether it’s the IBF or somewhere else. When one of those belts shakes loose, Boots wants it.
“I know you got Keith Thurman out there, and you’ve got [Eimantas] Stanionis out there. Best wishes to Virgil Ortiz, and hopefully, he’s good health-wise, but I know we all want to see the undisputed fight. But if any of those belts open up, Boots is right there.
“His time has come. We’ve been telling him he’s getting a title shot in the very near future. It could happen before the end of the year, depending.
“I think those are very makeable fights,” said Espinoza about Ennis fighting WBA ‘regular’ welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis or Cody Crawley.
“Boots doesn’t say no to anybody. So whether it’s Ugas or Thurman or Stanionis or Crowley, those are all guys that you have been happy to fight for this fight or for the last fight or for the next fight.
“So that’s the great thing about Boots. He’s at a stage where you know he’s not saying no-no to anybody. We just want to put him in his position to be successful and make sure his career is continuing to progress,” said Espinoza.
