Jaron Ennis, the 27-year-old IBF Welterweight World Champion from Philadelphia, can't seem to find anyone to fight him. The young champ is looking at all his options, even thinking about moving up to super-welterweight.
Ennis got his hands on the IBF belt after Terence Crawford moved up and left it behind. Now, he wants to unify the welterweight division. He's been eyeing fights with guys like Brian Norman Jr, Eimantas Stanionis, and Mario Barrios. But it's not been easy.
Norman Jr turned down a $2 million offer to face Ennis. Eddie Hearn, Ennis' promoter, wasn't happy about it. He called Norman Jr out for "clout chasing."
Then there's Karen Chukhadzhian, the IBF mandatory challenger. But Ennis already beat him 18 months ago for the vacant belt. It's not a fight many fans want to see again.
With talks falling through left and right, Ennis is now thinking about moving up to super-welterweight. Hearn told IFL TV:
"Let's see how the purse bid goes. I also have no problem with Boots moving to 154 pounds. I love the fight with Serhii Bohachuk, we reached out to him. I think that's a great fight. You've got Israil Madrimov. Some great fighters at 154 outside of the champions. We'd love a champion. We've got some decisions to make over the next 72 hours, but the decisions will not include Brian Norman."
Bohachuk just lost a close one to Vergil Ortiz, while Madrimov fell short against Crawford at 154 pounds. Hearn thinks Madrimov should've won that fight on the scorecards.
Moving up might make a fight with Crawford more likely down the line. But Ennis might have to give up his IBF Welterweight World Title. It's a tough call.
Some folks in boxing think Crawford might hang up his gloves if he can't get a fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. But for now, all eyes are on Ennis and his next move.
