Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis ready to make big statement at 147

Ennis (28-0 with 26 wins inside distance) fights for the first time in almost seven months on Saturday night when he meets Custio Clayton (19-0-1) on the Jermell Charlo vs Brian Castano 2 undercard in Carson, California.

Taking over a 147lbs division that includes big guns Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and Errol Spence Jr is quite the ambition, but that is exactly what Ennis is targeting.

Ennis out to impress vs Clayton

It’s never easy to make boxing picks, but we are extremely high on his chances of winning a world title, having selected ‘Boots’ as our rising star for 2022. Ennis is no different.

“I’m looking to make a big statement come May 14,” he said this week.

“I’m coming to win in dominating fashion and get the knockout. I’m ready to take over this division.”

Ennis, tipped for the top by none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr, says preparation for Saturday night has gone well, and he is ready to put on a show.

“I’m ready to rock and roll. We’ve been running a lot more sprints this camp and focusing a little more on conditioning each day, about a half an hour more every session.

“A lot of it are the normal things we do, like the underwater treadmill and chopping wood, we’re just working ten times harder.”

Ennis has offensive power to burn, but some experts wonder how he will cope as he moves up towards elite level, and as the leather coming back starts to increase in volume and quality.

He explained: “I feel like I’m getting better at taking my time and being more relaxed in the ring. I believe that the better the competition I face, the better I’m going to be. We’ve been working on jabbing more and being even more alert and sharper.”

Clayton will be no pushover on Saturday - an unbeaten Canadian Olympian. Ennis, perhaps astonishingly, will not be studying him beforehand.

“I don’t watch tape on people that I fight. I let my team focus on that. We’re prepared all the way around. I don’t prepare just one way, because you don’t know how a fighter is going to fight you. So we just prepare for everything.

“This fight is everything to me. This is a big stage and it’s time for me to shine. From here on out, it’s only getting bigger and better.

“After I do my thing on May 14, we’re just going to keep going up and up. I’m looking to show everyone everything that I’m capable of. My speed, power, defense, ring IQ and footwork. At the end of the night, I’m coming for the knockout. That’s what the fans are coming to see. I’m going to show them what I can do and close the show with a knockout.”

Chasing Crawford and Spence

If Ennis wants to rule at 147 right now, that means meeting Crawford, Spence or both at some stage. They of course have other fish to fry at the moment - there is every chance they could finally meet in the near future in arguably the biggest fight in boxing.

‘Boots’ says he will chase them wherever they go - be it 147lbs or up at light-middleweight (154).

“It doesn’t matter to me if Spence and Crawford decide to stay in the division and face me. I’d love to take the belts away from the champion, but if I have to fight for a vacant belt, I’ll see Spence and Crawford at 154 pounds. They can’t go too far.”