We are all super-excited about the forthcoming welterweight showdown between rival champions Terence Crawford and Errol Spence tonight, live on PPV.com. And with good reason. The two best 147 pound fighters on the planet, together holding all the major belts, going at it in Las Vegas. The July 29 fight has come at a time when it was needed, with the match-up showing the boxing critics that yes, the best do still fight the best.
But as special, as great as Spence-Crawford really should be, there is a figure looming, hovering in the very near background, a figure who wants what Crawford and Spence have got, and what the winner will walk away with at the end of the month. If Jaron “Boots” Ennis isn’t the single most talented and gifted welterweight in the world today outside of Crawford and Spence, then who is?
Ennis of Philadelphia looked magnificent last night, this in his at times testing fight with a determined Roiman Villa, now 26-2(24). Ennis, still only 26 and yet to reach his peak, pretty much did it all last night at The Boardwalk in Atlantic City. “Boots” switched stance, he fought while going forward, he fought while going backwards, Ennis boxed, he fought up close, Ennis was aggressive, and he was at times patient. And Ennis showed a fine chin whenever the warrior from Venezuela landed with anything.
And then Ennis closed the show in style, dropping the previously unstopped 30 year old with a right hand. Ennis had landed some hurtful shots throughout the fight and the ending was pretty clinical. It seems there is nothing Ennis cannot do in the ring. “Boots” looks to be a superstar of the future. The interim IBF welterweight champion puts the hard work in in the place that matters, the gym, and he is looking to avoid no man in the ring.
We may have to wait some time to see Ennis, now 31-0(28) share a ring with the Spence-Crawford winner (who have a rematch clause), but the Philly operator is more than willing to further prove his credentials while he waits. “Boots” wants to keep on marching.
“We’ve got to wait for Errol Spence and Bud to fight and you know, I want the winner of that fight,” a victorious Ennis said last night. “Spence-Crawford is a great fight, a 50-50 fight, may the best man win. And Jaron “Boots” Ennis wants the winner. Let’s make it happen. I’ll take [Eimantas] Stanionis. Vergil Ortiz fell out so I’ll take Stanionis in a heartbeat. I want to get into the ring one more time before the end of the year to make it three. Stanionis, Keith Thurman, [Yordenis] Ugas, Bud, Spence – all the top guys out there.”
Ennis may just be the top guy out there already. All he needs now is the opportunity to show it.