Decide It: Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. David Avanesyan
When to Watch: Saturday, July 13
The best way to watch: DAZN. The printed begins at 8 p.m. Japanese Time (1 a.m. BST)
Why to Watch: If the 2 prime welterweights of current years are actually gone from the division, then the person who was trying to supplant them will want to take action on his personal.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis was aiming for fights with Terence Crawford and Errol Spence. Alas, Crawford — who grew to become undisputed champion when he demolished Spence final yr — is shifting as much as 154, not less than for now, to problem Israil Madrimov for a world title. Spence can be anticipated to maneuver as much as junior middleweight to problem Sebastian Fundora after spending most of his profession at 147.
That leaves Ennis to determine the welterweight division as his kingdom towards those that stay, relatively than those that reigned.
That begins this Saturday on the Wells Fargo Middle in Philadelphia, the place the 27-year-old Ennis will carry out in entrance of his hometown crowd. He’ll tackle alternative opponent David Avanesyan.
In recent times, Ennis has confronted off towards foes corresponding to Sergey Lipinets, Thomas Dulorme, Custio Clayton, Karen Chukhadzhian and Roiman Villa. Ennis was largely spectacular in these wins, barring needing to accept a distance win with the defense-minded Chukhadzhian.
That battle with Chukhadzhian was for the IBF’s interim belt. Crawford gained the total IBF title from Spence however has since vacated it. Ennis, 31-0 (28 KOs), has since been upgraded, and this shall be his first protection.
Ennis was initially alleged to face Cody Crowley. However Crowley pulled out attributable to eye issues and Avanesyan stepped in.
Avanesyan isn’t particular, however he’ll try to put up a battle till that battle is overwhelmed out of him. The 35-year-old, born in Russia and residing in England, had a few setbacks years in the past, with losses to the likes of Lamont Peterson by choice in 2017 and Egidijus Kavaliauskas by TKO in 2018. Then Avanesyan put forth a six-fight win streak, taking the zeroes of beforehand unbeaten Kerman Lejarraga and Josh Kelly.
Whereas neither Lejarraga nor Kelly was confirmed on the higher ranges, this string of victories meant that many people wished Avanesyan to get a possibility towards different recognizable, extra established names. We simply didn’t anticipate it to return towards Crawford.
However there was Avanesyan within the ring with Crawford in December 2022. And there went Avanesyan, stopped within the sixth spherical. He’s picked up one win since towards a delegated opponent, shifting to 30-4-1 (18 KOs).
Assuming Ennis does what’s anticipated of him on Saturday, it’ll then be time for him to hunt fights with the opposite worthy welterweights.
It’s not the deepest of divisions in the meanwhile, however it could be good to see Ennis towards the likes of Eimantas Stanionis, Mario Barrios (who could face a returning Manny Pacquiao) or Brian Norman Jr.
One wonders whether or not Ennis signing with Matchroom Boxing, and being featured now on DAZN, will function a hindrance given promotional and community allegiances. The identical sort of factor that lengthy stood in the way in which of Crawford vs. Spence.
That query will should be answered quickly. However first, Ennis must care for the enterprise in entrance of him.
Extra Fights to Watch
Wednesday, July 10: Sam Goodman vs. Chainoi Worawut (Fundamental Occasion pay-per-view in Australia)
The free preliminary broadcast begins at 5:30 p.m Australian Japanese Normal Time (3:30 a.m. U.S. Japanese Time, 8:30 a.m. BST). The PPV begins at 7 p.m. AEST.
Goodman is a junior featherweight contender who appeared destined for a date with Naoya Inoue — particularly after coming into the ring following Inoue’s win over Luis Nery in Might. The 25-year-old from New South Wales, Australia, had earned a compulsory challenger place and put collectively a string of excellent wins, together with a break up choice over the beforehand unbeaten Ra’eese Aleem.
As an alternative, Goodman is taking an in-between bout and hoping the Inoue alternative stays. For that to be attainable, Goodman, 18-0 (8 KOs), must get by Worawut, a 27-year-old from Bangkok who’s 25-0-1 (15 KOs) however who shall be taking a major step up in high quality of opposition.
Worawut may even be combating exterior of Thailand for the primary time. This present, on the WIN Leisure Centre in Wollongong, is simply down the highway from the place Goodman lives.
Wednesday, July 10: Nicklaus Flaz vs. Alfredo Escarcega (ProBoxTV.com)
The printed begins at 8 p.m. Japanese Time.
Flaz is a 28-year-old welterweight from Puerto Rico. He’s 12-2 (8 KOs) and has gained three straight since getting stopped in a single spherical by Janelson Bocachica again in 2020.
Escarcega is a 26-year-old from the US who’s 15-1-1 (7 KOs). Solely three of his victories have come towards foes with successful information.
The undercard features a battle between Najee Lopez, 10-0 (8 KOs), who’s been combating at mild heavyweight, and Steven Sumpter, 9-0-1 (7 KOs), who shall be shifting up from tremendous middleweight.
(Notice: BoxingScene.com is owned by ProBox.)
Thursday, July 11: Nelson Hysa vs. Thorsten Fuchs (ESPN+)
The printed begins at 2 p.m. Japanese Time (7 p.m. BST).
Hysa is an unbeaten 39-year-old heavyweight from Albania with a report of 17-0 (15 KOs). He’ll headline in his nation’s capital of Tirana, taking up Fuchs, a 33-year-old from Germany who’s largely competed at cruiserweight and is 13-1 (10 KOs).
Friday, July 12: Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez vs. Rober Barrera (ESPN+)
The printed begins at 9 p.m. Japanese Time. (2 a.m. BST).
Gonzalez — the previous world titleholder at 105, 108 and 115, and former lineal flyweight champion — is returning for what might be the final run for this future Corridor of Famer.
“Chocolatito” turned 37 in June, has been a professional for 19 years, and is combating for the primary time since December 2022, when he misplaced a majority choice in his rubber match with Juan Francisco Estrada. He’s now 51-4 (41 KOs) and can headline in his hometown of Managua, Nicaragua, towards a former junior flyweight and flyweight contender named Rober Barrera.
Gonzalez vs. Barrera is up at bantamweight. If Chocolatito wins, he might stay at 118 and face any of the 4 titleholders there: Takuma Inoue, Junto Nakatani, Ryosuke Nishida and Yoshiki Takei. All 4 are from Japan, a rustic that has been like a second residence to Chocolatito; he’s fought there 10 occasions over the course of his profession.
Nevertheless, if Chocolatito is keen and in a position, he might additionally stay within the combine again down at tremendous flyweight, or any of those 115-pounders may additionally be keen to maneuver up three kilos to tackle the residing legend.
After all, that each one will depend on what occurs with Barrera, a 31-year-old from Colombia who’s 27-5 (17 KOs).
Barrera has come up brief towards a number of acquainted names, dropping a break up choice to junior flyweight Carlos Canizales in 2015, stopping in 9 rounds in a battle with 108-pound titleholder Ryoichi Taguchi in 2017, stopped whereas forward on the playing cards within the eleventh spherical of a battle with flyweight Luis Concepcion in 2020, outpointed by flyweight Muhammad Waseem in 2021, and on the brief finish of a break up choice towards Pablo Carrillo in 2022.
Barrera has gained three straight since towards opponents with a mixed report of 12-55-4.
Saturday, July 13: Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich (ESPN+ in the US, Sky Sports activities in the UK)
The preliminary broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. Japanese Time. (11:50 p.m. BST)
Alimkhanuly is a unified middleweight titleholder in a division that’s missing in depth and star energy. Canelo Alvarez way back departed. Gennadiy Golovkin is mainly however unofficially retired. Jermall Charlo’s private struggles have led to vital inactivity; he was lastly stripped in Might of the WBC belt, which he’d final defended in 2021.
In that vacuum, Alimkhanuly was upgraded from interim to common WBO titleholder in 2022 after which added the IBF belt in a unification win over Vincenzo Gualtieri final October. The 31-year-old is initially from Kazakhstan and now fights out of Oxnard, California. His report is 15-0 (10 KOs).
Mikhailovich is a 26-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, who’s 21-0 (13 KOs). He’s coming off a TKO5 of a beforehand unbeaten Edisson Saltarin in April 2023 — a win that’s much less significant now that Saltarin has added two extra defeats — and Mikhailovich then scored an 84-second TKO of a 39-17 foe named Les Sherrington this previous April.
This ought to be one other Alimkhanuly win. After which hopefully there shall be unification bouts towards the likes of Carlos Adames (WBC) or Erislandy Lara (WBA), or defenses towards rising contenders corresponding to Hamzah Sheeraz, and even taking up guys with recognizable names corresponding to Chris Eubank Jr.
The co-feature will see up-and-coming light-weight Raymond Muratalla tackle his greatest opponent but when he faces former 130-pound titleholder Tevin Farmer.
Muratalla, a 27-year-old from Southern California, is 20-0 (16 KOs). His previous three fights noticed him take out Jeremia Nakathila in two rounds in Might 2023, cease beforehand unbeaten Diego Torres Nunez in eight final November, and outpoint Xolisani Ndongeni this previous March.
Farmer, a 33-year-old from Philadelphia, is 33-5-1 (8 KOs). He captured a junior light-weight world title in 2018 and made three profitable defenses earlier than shedding it to Joseph Diaz Jr. in the beginning of 2020. Farmer then spent greater than three years away earlier than returning in June 2023, notching three victories since then.
Saturday, July 13: Kaine Fourie vs. Siseko Makeleni (DAZN)
The printed begins at 1 p.m. Japanese Time (6 p.m. BST).
Fourie is an unbeaten light-weight from South Africa with a report of 7-0-2 (5 KOs). He’ll headline in Johannesburg towards Makaleni, who’s 10-4 (6 KOs).
Monday, July 15: Prizefighter Quarterfinals (DAZN)
The printed begins at 4 a.m. Japanese Time. (9 a.m. BST)
This middleweight match was introduced in January and was initially supposed to start out on the finish of March. As an alternative, it kicks off this coming Monday on the Yamato Enviornment close to Osaka, Japan with a set of 10-rounders.
The 4 fights are:
Kazuto Takesako, 16-2-1 (15 KOs), vs. Mark Dickinson, 6-0 (2 KOs)
Riku Kunimoto, 11-1 (5 KOs), vs. Eiki Kani, 8-4-3 (4 KOs). These two fought as soon as earlier than, this previous March, with Kunimoto stopping Kani within the sixth.
Kieron Conway, 20-3-1 (5 KOs), vs. Ainiwaer Yilixiati, 19-1 (14 KOs)
Aaron McKenna, 18-0 (9 KOs), vs. Jeovanny Estela, 14-0 (5 KOs)
Comply with David Greisman on Twitter @FightingWords2. His guide, “Combating Phrases: The Coronary heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is accessible on Amazon.
