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Boots Ennis ready to make statement against Avanesyan

Posted on by angelo

Jaron “Boots” Ennis says he is ready to make a statement in his first defense of his IBF welterweight title next month against replacement opponent David Avanesyan on July 13 on DAZN at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs) was chosen by new Ennis promoter Eddie Hearn as the challenger to replace originally scheduled opponent Cody Crowley, who was forced to withdraw due to a medical problem.

Hearn said the opponent had to be a contender ranked in the IBF top 15, which ruled out the use of Rashidi Ellis as a replacement. He felt Avanesyan, 35, was the best option for Boots Ennis as he was well known for his unsuccessful title challenge against WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford in December 2022.

Hearn’s plan for Ennis stardom

Matchrooom Boxing promoter Hearn wants to make Boots a star as quickly as possible and set him up for a fight against Crawford before the Nebraska native retires from the sport. This would be the perfect way for Ennis to become a PPV attraction, as he would have to beat old lion Crawford before hanging up his gloves.

Unfortunately, Crawford wants nothing to do with Boots Ennis, and some believe he sees things through the eyes of this guy, who is seen as a better, stronger, younger version of himself.

Ennis’ opportunity to shine

“Cody is a good fighter, but Avanesyan, I think is a tougher fight. Obviously he has bigger credentials than Crowley, but Cody Crowley was undefeated,” promoter Eddie Hearn told YSM Sports Media, discussing the replacement opponent for IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis on July 13 in Philadelphia.

“The thing about Avanesyan is that he is very strong and very combative. You saw when he faced Crawford. He doesn’t stop at anything and it’s a real fight. I felt Avanesyan was the toughest fight and he would come to fight. Rashidi Ellis is not in the IBF rankings. So we had to pick someone in the top 15.”

Avanesyan has been out of the ring for two years since his loss to Crawford in 2022, making it difficult to gauge how good a replacement this fighter is for Ennis.

While it’s true that IBF No. 13 Avanesyan is well-known to boxing fans who follow Crawford, he’s not active and in his 30s, and he’s not as good an option as some of the higher-ranked contenders in the IBF rankings.

“Shakhram Giyasov, the Japanese fighter (Jin Sasaki) and Gabriel Valenzuela,” Hearn said of other options who were potential replacement opponents to face Boots Ennis on July 13 following Crowley’s withdrawal.

2016 Olympian Giyasov (15-0, 9 KOs) would have been a more exciting replacement opponent for Boots Ennis to fight than the inactive 35-year-old Avanesyan.