“In and out like a robbery,” the 28-year-old Ennis said with a smirk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Confidence is a necessity in boxing. A fighter must believe he will defeat his opponent no matter the odds. But Ennis, a Philadelphia native<\/a>, seemed so sure of himself in that moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Granted, he was a heavy favorite, but this was his first fight at the 154-pound, junior middleweight division.\u00a0<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM<\/a><\/p>\n Jaron Ennis celebrates his win over Eimantas Stanionis to capture the IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall April 12, 2025, in Atlantic City, N.J.\u00a0 (Ed Mulholland\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Yet, he backed up every word, knocking down Lima twice before a first-round stoppage to be granted the interim WBA junior middleweight belt Oct. 11 in his home city. When you are an undefeated boxer who has knocked out all but four opponents as a professional (35-0), it\u2019s hard not to be overly confident.\u00a0<\/p>\n But for Ennis, the canvas, ropes and gloves feel entirely like home. There\u2019s a comfort because, after all, it\u2019s the family business.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I guess just me being around the boxing game for so long and seeing my brothers come up, I kinda knew what to expect,” Ennis told Fox News Digital during a recent interview in New York City<\/a>. “I knew what was going on. So, I\u2019m just comfortable no matter where I\u2019m at, whether it\u2019s in the ring, doing interviews. Wherever, I\u2019m always comfortable. I kinda see everything already. I\u2019ve been here before.”<\/p>\n WWE STAR JIMMY USO OPENS UP ABOUT TEAMING WITH BROTHER AGAIN FOR MILESTONE MATCH AT WRESTLEPALOOZA<\/a><\/p>\n In Philadelphia, the last name Ennis rings a bell in the boxing community. It starts with Derek “Bozy” Ennis, “Boots'” father and trainer, who was naturally harder on his boy than the rest of his clients.\u00a0<\/p>\n “It\u2019s expected because he knows what I can do,” “Boots” said of his father\u2019s training. “I gotta deliver it, so that\u2019s what I be on. I don\u2019t take the criticisms hard from my dad. It\u2019s actually motivation for me to keep going.”<\/p>\n “Boots” added that he prefers the tough love, saying, “I don\u2019t want no yes men around me.” He wants to know what he\u2019s doing right or wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n But his brothers also laid the foundation for that. Derek “Pooh” Ennis and Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis were also professional fighters with lofty expectations, though they never competed for a world title like their little brother.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Very supportive of each other. They just led the way,” “Boots” said of his brothers\u2019 influence. “They showed me what to do and what not to do, and I just followed their direction and always stayed in some type of shape and ready. You never know when you\u2019re going to get that call. So, that\u2019s what I do, try to stay in some type of shape, try to live the right lifestyle outside of boxing in case I do have to get a call, and I\u2019ll be ready.”<\/p>\n Since he was in a jumper, “Boots” was running around his father\u2019s gym observing, training and understanding what it takes to compete at the highest level.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jaron Ennis poses for photos during media day ahead of an IBF welterweight title bout against Karen Chukhadzhian Nov. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Mark Robinson\/Matchroom Boxing)<\/p>\n “I\u2019ve seen it all, so I know what it takes,” “Boots” said. “I know how everything goes and just having that confidence because I put the work in. I know what to do, and I know what I did. And I know can\u2019t nobody do nothing with me. I\u2019m in shape, I do everything right. I don\u2019t cut no corners. My training camps be going great, so that\u2019s where my confidence comes from for sure.”<\/p>\n Even though it was his third time fighting in the South Philly arena earlier this month, “Boots” considered his first-round knockout of Lima a “full-circle moment” due to how important this fight was, even if Lima wasn\u2019t the biggest name in the game. It was “Boots\u2019” first fight in a new division after previously being the unified welterweight champion, holding both the IBF and WBA titles before making the jump to junior middleweight.\u00a0<\/p>\n He’s been training his whole life to get to this point in the sport, where the glorified “best pound-for-pound” debate involves his name. And he doesn\u2019t mind the pressure or expectation, especially given his family history in the sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n That was showcased with his patented confidence after the fight. He called out those in his new weight class, including Vergil Ortiz Jr., the WBC interim champion.\u00a0<\/p>\n DEONTAY WILDER, NEARING 40, SAYS HE’S ‘DOWN’ TO FIGHT JAKE PAUL AS HE HAS ’10 YEARS LEFT’ IN CAREER<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s a fight that\u2019s in the works and expected for 2026 after Ortiz fights Nov. 8.<\/p>\n “I want to knock them down one by one. I want to show everyone why I\u2019m the best in the world,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The pound-for-pound conversation usually revolves around Terence “Bud” Crawford, especially after defeating Canelo \u00c1lvarez to become the undisputed super middleweight champion. He became the only male fighter in the four-belt era to be undisputed champion in three different weight classes, but that\u2019s exactly what “Boots” is shooting for.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jaron Ennis (L) and Eimantas Stanionis (R) during their fight for the Ring Magazine, IBF world & WBA world welterweight titles at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on April 12, 2025 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Mark Robinson\/Matchroom Boxing)<\/p>\n Some compare “Boots” to Crawford, but the former isn\u2019t a fan of it. Not because he doesn\u2019t respect Crawford\u2019s fighting style.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We\u2019re totally two different fighters. I don\u2019t like when they compare me and him together because we don\u2019t fight nothing alike. He\u2019s got his style, and I\u2019ve got my style,” “Boots” said.\u00a0<\/p>\n If there\u2019s anything “Boots” wants to be compared to when it comes to Crawford, it\u2019s their legacy within boxing. Crawford is at the twilight of his career, while “Boots” is in his prime. The potential is there to be the pound-for-pound best in the sport, and “Boots” believes that conversation will only grow as he works through the 154-pound class.\u00a0<\/p>\n “My legacy, like I\u2019ve said, I want to be a multi-division champ. And I want to show the world that I\u2019m really him. And I will,” he said. “We started at [147 pounds] and I was lineal champion at 147. I\u2019m in the history books at 147. Now, we\u2019re at 154 now, and we just keep going. 154, 160 and possibly 168.”<\/p>\n “Boots” simply replied, “Facts,” when asked if he believes he\u2019ll become that best-pound-for-pound boxer at some point in his career.<\/p>\n Jaron Ennis celebrates his win over Eimantas Stanionis to capture the IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall April 12, 2025, in Atlantic City, N.J.\u00a0 (Ed Mulholland\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n But the weight of those expectations has the ability to crush the shoulders of the fighter who\u2019s burdened with them. However, “Boots” has the skill and the support system necessary to go through that hard-fought journey, which includes his mother, who he says will do whatever he needs to support his dream.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Family means everything. Without them, I wouldn\u2019t be where I\u2019m at today,” he said. “My brothers and my dad paved my way for me and my mom as well. They showed me what to do and what not to do and things like that. And treat people how you want to be treated. That\u2019s how I carry myself.”<\/p>\n Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s sports coverage on X<\/a> and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n![\"Jaron](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1200\/675\/boots-ennis.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
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