Floyd Mayweather was one of the greatest boxers of all time, definitely the best of his generation. Now, there’s a new star on the rise in the welterweight division.
Step forward the enigmatic Jaron Ennis.
Nicknamed “Boots” due to a gym misunderstanding from a moniker his mom gave him of “Boops,” Ennis is fast-talked-about as the next coming of the great one.
During his recently-ended tenure, Floyd Mayweather was the number one Pay Per View name on the planet.
Currently aligned with Showtime, Ennis is in the perfect spot to build toward a first PPV event in the next two years.
As his 28-0 record suggests, there haven’t been too many fighters getting close to Ennis since he turned pro five years ago.
Showtime boss Stephen Espinoza has high hopes for the 24-year-old.
“It became clear that Boots was special,” Espinoza said. “It wasn’t just that he was finishing guys quickly and walking through them. It’s that he was doing it so quickly.
“As we increased the level of the opposition, he continued to perform the same.”
Last weekend, Ennis did it again when demolishing Thomas Dulorme in 109 seconds to make it 26 stoppages from his 28 contests.
“We got it early. That’s OK with me. We don’t get paid for overtime. I knew it was over after that first knockdown,” said Ennis.
“I just had to take my time and not rush anything. Everything I did today we worked on in the gym.”
He added: “It was a good knockout. You know me, I wanted to show my skills and abilities.
“I’m just thankful for this opportunity. Now it’s on to the next. Let’s get the big names.”
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
Already planning his next move, Ennis is not resting on simply becoming a world welterweight champion. Now that the secret is out of the bag, the comparisons to Mayweather have already begun.
“I had been ready for a world title two years ago,” said Ennis. “I want the top guys.
“Errol Spence Jr., Yordenis Ugas, Shawn Porter, Terence Crawford, Keith Thurman. I’m ranked No. 3 in the IBF, so Errol Spence Jr. is who I want next.
“I feel like I want to be the undisputed champion in three or four different weight classes.
“I’m great at everything. I’m well-rounded at everything. I fight orthodox, southpaw, I could fight on the inside, on the outside, whatever you need, I got it.”
If Ennis gets anywhere near Floyd Mayweather’s considerable achievements, excitement is guaranteed at 147 and above for the next few years.
