Big Statement From Boots Ennis In Philly Style Saturday

Sometimes a boxing journalist needs to eat her words. Nom nom. Jaron “Boots” Ennis of Philadelphia made me eat mine and every other skeptic who demanded that Ennis erase any doubts about his future with his first fight in the super welterweight division.

Those words were covered in hot sauce and tasty as Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) took out an unarmed Uisma Lima of Angola (14-2, 10 KOs) in the first round. Referee Shawn Clark waived off the fight as Lima was taking damage at 1:58. After dropping Lima twice with impressive, surgical combination punching ending in vicious right hooks, Clark stepped in as Lima was taking damage as Ennis tried to beat the bell.

Ennis vs Lima Highlights

“I did what I had to do. I came to do. I’m here at 154. Bring them names,” said Ennis.

“I think he was trying to be smart and not fight like how you usually fight, because he didn’t want to get caught early. Still caught him early,” smiled Ennis.

Ennis picks up the WBA Interim Super Welterweight title, available to Ennis as a former WBA champion from another division. The title became available after Terence Crawford vacated the title for his undisputed super middleweight championship fight with Canelo Alvarez.

Super Welterweight Suits Boots Ennis

Boots Ennis looks strong and unsstoppable at super welterweight. Photo: Emma Brawley, Matchroom Boxing

It wasn’t a massive surprise that Ennis won, but the method of the win made a big statement. It speaks to how constrained Ennis must have been, forcing himself to make the 147-pound welterweight limit as long as he did. Ennis acknowledged this after his victory.

“I felt way different, even fight week,” said Ennis. “I felt phenomenal. You know how you feel having your last day of training? You don’t feel like doing nothing,” said Ennis. Now that he isn’t struggling, “I actually felt like training. I was like, rejuvenated, excited,” explained Ennis.

“I feel like the more I go up, the stronger I’m gonna get. And I was fighting at 47 all my whole professional career. And when I was an amateur, I was fighting at 41, so I was that small for a long time. So it was finally time to go,” said Ennis.

Ennis is 28 years old and it’s hard not to believe he’s at his prime. With Saturday’s performance, Ennis fulfilled the promise so many people felt sure he could fulfill.

Now all talk will turn to the fight so many fans have wanted to see, a matchup with another interim champion, Vergil Ortiz Jr. Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to face former champion Erickson Lubin on November 8, and fan interest in that fight got a significant boost from the Ennis performance.

Ennis is all about it. “It’s gonna happen next. You know, I know he got his fight. And you know, if you don’t win, I’ll fight the winner, but I want Vergil Ortiz next.

Ennis said if he can’t face Ortiz Jr. next, he’ll take on Jermell Charlo, Sebastian Fundora, Bahkram Murtazaliev, or Xander Zayas.

Eddie Hearn: ‘The Future of the Sport of Boxing’

Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn was elated with the performance of Ennis, and who can blame him? Hearn said before Saturday, Ennis was fighting at half his capacity before moving up in weight. Now, Ennis is unleashed.

“This is the future of the sport of boxing. This is the pound-for-pound number one in waiting,” declared Hearn, stating no opponent at super welterweight, middleweight, or super middleweight could beat Ennis.

“We’re coming for everybody, one man included. But we got to earn that right. And I’m telling you now, Oscar De La Hoya tweeted before this fight, there’s only one man at 154. Line them up and he’ll piece them up.

Vergil Ortiz will get destroyed by Jaron Ennis. I will bet the house on it with Oscar De La Hoya. It’s the best fight in boxing in America. It’s a beautiful fight. He’s a great fighter. But this guy is another level. I’m telling you, you have got eight, ten years of greatness from this guy. He lives the life. There is nobody like him in boxing. He’s gonna go up anyone. Ortiz, Murtazaliev, Fundora, Baraou, Zayas. He will destroy them!”

“Bring them all. 154 is mine, it’s mine!” added Ennis.

Ortiz Jr. must win his upcoming bout on November 8 with former champion Erickson Lubin. Should he complete that assignment, Ennis vs Ortiz Jr. will be the first big matchup of 2026.

Guido Vianello Scores Big Win

Guido Vianello wiped his slate clean with a knockout win over Alexis Barriere. Photo: Emma Brawley, Matchroom Boxing

Are you not entertained? Guido Vianello is back in business, bouncing back big from his first loss. “The Gladiator” Vianello of Italy decided he wasn’t going to outbox Alexis Barriere of Quebec (12-1, 10 KOs) so he decided to make it a fight. It was the right decision. In the fourth round, Vianello put on a slugfest for the Philly fans, scoring a big knockdown in the fourth round but running out of time to close the show.

Vianello had to come back out in the fifth round to make it stick, dropping and stopping Barriere with a big right hand at 26 seconds of the round. The punch didn’t even land quite flush, but it got the job done. Vianello (14-1, 12 KOs) earned the WBC Continental Americas belt

“Thank you, Philadelphia, I feel at home here, it’s full of Italians! My last fight, it wasn’t my night, so I went back in the gym after a week. We were in the gym for six months. Now I’m very hungry for heavyweights,” said Vianello.

“I’m sad because I could win in two rounds in this fight, I’ll do better next time … I will do all my fights like this, all the time.” Like Arslembek Mahkmudov did earlier in the day, Vianello called out Matchroom Boxing star Anthony Joshua. “Let’s fight in Rome in the Coliseum,” said Vianello.

Hometown Win For Tahmir Smalls

Tahmir Smalls dropped Jose Roman on the way to a decision win. Photo: Emma Brawley, Matchroom Boxing

On the strength of a third-round knockdown, Tahmir Smalls of Philadelphia (15-0, 11 KOs) defeated Jose Roman of Puerto Rico (14-2, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision to win the WBA Intercontinental Welterweight title. Scores were 98-91, 96-93, and 95-94.

Smalls caught Roman with a pair of hooks to the head, the second right to the chin to drop him hard. It was surprising Roman got to his feet, let alone survive the round and come back to deliver such a strong challenge through the remainder of the ten-round fight. Smalls was the busier offensive fighter, but there’s no denying that close rounds likely swing Smalls’ way thanks to the impression left by the earlier knockdown.