IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis is hoping to send a message to the boxing world when he faces WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis in a unification bout on Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Ennis (33-0, 29 KO) has looked every part of a pound-for-pound elite in his career but has yet to land the kind of big fights his talent deserves. In Stanionis (15-0, 9 KO), Ennis has gotten the kind of opponent that has the ability to push him; a well-rounded and powerful fighter who doesn’t have glaring holes in his overall game.
Ennis vs. Stanionis is a meeting of the two best fighters at 147 pounds and the winner will be the only unified champion in the division. One might think a win would drive Ennis to move up in weight, joining a talent-stacked junior middleweight division. In a recent interview with Fight Hub TV, Ennis shot down that notion, saying he was instead focused on becoming undisputed champion above all else.
“I want to be the standard of the welterweight division and be with those top guys like Floyd Mayweather and Sugar Ray Leonard,” Ennis said at the final press conference this week. “Not too many people can say they have fought for the Ring Magazine and division titles but on Saturday night I will, and I will be stamping my legacy right there. We’re going to show the world why I’m the best. We’re going to put on a show for sure.
“I’m not going to look for a knockout, but it’s coming. We’re going to have fun. We’re going to show out. He said all gas, no breaks. He’s going to run right into a rock.”
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To add a second belt to his collection, Ennis will have to get past Stanionis, a former Olympian who captured the WBA’s “regular” championship in a 2022 win over Radzhab Butaev and made one successful defense, beating Gabriel Maestre, before being elevated to world champion when Terrence Crawford moved up to junior middleweight.
“It’s a big opportunity, I know Ennis is a very good fighter, but I came here to give it my all and the best shot I can put,” Stanionis said at the final press conference.
“I know they think they might knock me out. First of all, I’ve never been knocked out so we will see, but it can always be the first time. I will do my best on April 12 and didn’t come here for a walk in the park. I went into this camp with my most brutal training and I sacrificed a lot and left my family. My wife is pregnant, and my baby might come today or tomorrow. It’s been a lot of sacrifices that I have put because I love the sport and believe in myself so I will see you on April 12 and give all my heart.”
Ennis was also a beneficiary of Crawford’s moves, being elevated from interim to world champion after the IBF stripped Crawford for planning to go ahead with a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. rather than take his mandatory fight with Ennis.
In Ennis’ most recent fight, he successfully defended his title against the same man he defeated to win the interim belt, Karen Chukhadzhian.
There are a pair of additional support bouts on Saturday night worth keeping an eye on. Raymond Ford is looking to get started fresh in a new division when he takes on Thomas Mattice at junior lightweight. Ford, 26, earned the WBA featherweight crown in 2024 but then lost a tough split decision to Nick Ball in his next fight. Now, Ford looks to begin his run at 130 pounds against a sturdy veteran in Mattice. Plus, Shakhram Giyasov is set to take on Franco Ocampo at welterweight.
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the undercard with the latest odds before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.
Ennis vs. Stanionis fight card, odds
- Jaron Ennis (c) -900 vs. Eimantas Stanionis (c) +550, unified welterweight title
- Raymond Ford -1200 vs. Thomas Mattice +750, junior lightweights
- Shakhram Giyasov -2200 vs. Franco Ocampo +1000, welterweights
Where to watch Ennis vs. Stanionis
- Date: April 12 | Start time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall — Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Where to watch: DAZN (subscription required)
Prediction
Stanionis shouldn’t be overlooked heading into this fight. His win over Butaev was an eye-opener to how big of a threat he is. That said, while Stanionis is a very good fighter, Ennis has the skills to be a great fighter. Ennis also comes into the fight with a six-inch reach advantage, meaning Stanionis will have to get past Ennis’ very technical approach and heavy punches if he wants to do his own work. Ennis is simply the bigger, better fighter and carries more stopping power in his punches. There are too many reasons to think Ennis gets the win here despite Stanionis being arguably his biggest challenge in the division.
The bigger question is whether Ennis can get a stoppage win and add emphasis to a statement victory. Neither man has suffered a professional loss, nor has either suffered a knockdown as a professional. Ennis wasn’t particularly impressive in the Chukhadzhian rematch, ignoring his jab and lacking defensive responsibility, but he still won a clear decision and the performance feels more like an outlier than the start of a new trend. Pick: Jaron Ennis via TKO7
Who wins Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis and which method of victory prop could bring a big return? Join SportsLine here to see which bets you need to make for the fight, all from the accomplished veteran combat sports analyst who has consistently delivered winners.
