WASHINGTON – Jaron Ennis wasn’t particularly happy along with his efficiency towards Karen Chukhadzhian on Saturday night time.
The undefeated Philadelphia native went off as a 35-1 favourite, however the unknown Ukrainian underdog prolonged Ennis to the 12-round distance for the primary time in his profession. Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs, 1 NC) shut out the reluctant Chukhadzhian by the identical rating, 120-108, on all three playing cards, however he wasn’t his regular damaging self as he chased Chukhadzhian across the ring on the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia undercard at Capital One Area.
Ennis hopes, nevertheless, that this forgettable efficiency will entice elite welterweights like Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford to battle him.
The 25-year-old Ennis received the IBF interim 147-pound championship by beating Chukhadzhian (21-2, 11 KOs) and is its necessary challenger for considered one of Spence’s three championships. Ennis entered his battle with Chukhadzhian because the IBF’s primary contender for Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) and the WBO’s second-ranked challenger for the welterweight title owned by Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs).
“Perhaps these boys will get within the ring now and battle me,” Ennis stated throughout his post-fight press convention.
Derek “Bozy” Ennis, Jaron’s father and coach, seconded his son’s assertion.
“Persons are so used to seeing him knocking folks out,” he stated. “That’s what I’m saying. And so they in all probability saying, ‘Oh, we bought him now. He didn’t knock this man out. He was speculated to knock this man out.’ However how are you going to knock a man out like that, that carry on operating and didn’t wanna have interaction?”
The artful Chukhadzhian knew participating Ennis constantly would probably result in a knockout defeat. The 26-year-old Kyiv native principally moved out of Ennis’ punching vary and sometimes linked with pictures of his personal that didn’t seem to have an effect on Ennis.
Chukhadzhian’s warning made for a boring bout, but Ennis admitted he ought to’ve achieved a greater job of reducing off the ring.
The formidable Ennis fought Chukhadzhian, who took a 20-fight successful streak into their bout, as a result of he was the highest-rated obtainable contender within the IBF’s rankings who was keen to face Ennis for its interim 147-pound championship. Afterward, Ennis expressed optimism concerning the prospect of lastly securing a higher-profile battle later this 12 months.
“I’m very excited to get again,” Ennis stated. “You already know, the purpose is to get, , three fights this 12 months. And we’ll undoubtedly take, , Vergil Ortiz. You already know, it don’t matter who it’s. It could possibly be Vergil Ortiz, Errol Spence, Bud [Crawford], Keith Thurman, [Yordenis] Ugas. Like I stated earlier than, I simply wanna battle all the highest guys and present the world like my actual expertise, and never these lower-class guys.”
Ennis’ father can also be anxious for his son’s true expertise to turn out to be evident versus prime opponents.
“Y’all ain’t seen nothing but,” the elder Ennis stated. “Ain’t no one actually take a look at him. I need all people to see that he have been examined, so guys like Spence, Crawford and all that, let ‘em know that we proper there with you. We on the identical stage, or perhaps over that stage.”
Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He might be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.