Jaron Ennis has named a list of opponents that he wants following the news that he is now the full IBF welterweight champion.
Boots was elevated to the status of full champion after Terence Crawford was stripped. Ennis was the IBF mandatory to Crawford, who held all the belts at 147 following his ninth-round-stoppage win over Errol Spence Jr. However, since Crawford was contractually bound to face Spence in the rematch after the latter exercised his rematch clause, the IBF stripped Bud for failing to face his mandatory.
Despite this being the case, Ennis was open to facing Crawford. A rematch with Spence at 147 may now be out of the question since it is no longer for undisputed, while a fight at 154 holds no belts. But if Crawford does decide to vacate the rest of the belts and move up, Ennis has other names on his shortlist.
“What’s the first fight that is going to matter? It depends on what these guys are going to do. I heard something about [Mario] Barrios. I think they’re trying to throw Barrios at me. Anybody. Keith Thurman, Barrios, Stanionis. He’s another guy. Buds [Crawford] still another guy. Spence is another guy, even though Spence is going to 154 or whatever. I want to fight the best. I don’t want to fight mediocre competition. I want to fight great guys, people with names. People with names that you know,” Ennis stated
A fight against Eimantas Stanionis would allow Ennis the chance to beat a fellow undefeated fighter. Meanwhile, getting a win over Keith Thurman would be a huge name on Ennis’ resume since ‘One Time’ is a former unified welterweight champion. As for Mario Barrios, the American was the former WBA super lightweight champion, showing that he is more than a capable opponent. And yet, question marks will remain over Ennis, given that he had been elevated to the status of a champion as opposed to winning the belt outright. But that did not concern the boxer since it was ultimately at the hands of the IBF.
“It is what it is. They abided by the rules. It was out of my hands. It was in the IBF’s hands. I’m the world champion now, and I’m ready to make these big fights happen and fight all those top guys. I’m ready to make my mark in this boxing game,” Ennis