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Jaron “Boots” Ennis sat with his arms crossed on the table, looking at his latest opponent, Uisma Lima, and telling him that their boxing match would be short and sweet.
“It comes and goes like a robbery,” Ennis, 28, said with a smile.
Confidence is a necessity in boxing: a fighter must believe that he will defeat his opponent no matter the odds. But Ennis, the Philadelphia native, seemed very sure of himself at the time. Of course, he was a heavy favorite, but this was his first fight in the 154-pound junior middleweight division.
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Jaron Ennis celebrates his victory over Eimantas Stanionis to capture the IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on April 12, 2025, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)
However, he backed up every word, knocking Lima down twice before a first-round stoppage to receive the interim WBA junior middleweight belt on October 11 in his hometown. When you’re an undefeated boxer who has knocked out all but four of your opponents as a professional (35-0), it’s hard not to be overconfident.
But for Ennis, the tarp, ropes and gloves feel like home. It’s a comfort because, after all, it’s the family business.
“I guess just being in boxing for so long and seeing my brothers come up, I knew what to expect,” Ennis told Pak Gazette Digital during a recent interview in New York City. “I knew what was going on. So I feel comfortable no matter where I am, whether it’s in the ring or doing interviews. Wherever, I always feel comfortable. I see everything, I’ve been here before.”
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In Philadelphia, the last name Ennis is heard in the boxing community. It begins with Derek “Bozy” Ennis, father and trainer of “Boots”, who was naturally tougher on his son than the rest of his clients.
“It’s expected because he knows what I can do,” said “Botas” about his father’s training. “I have to follow through, so that’s what I do. I don’t take my father’s criticism too badly; it’s actually motivation to keep going.”
“Boots” added that he prefers tough love, saying, “I don’t want yes men around me.” You want to know what you are doing right or wrong.
But his brothers also laid the foundations for it. Derek “Pooh” Ennis and Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis were professional wrestlers in their own right with high expectations, although they never competed for a world title like their little brother.
“They’re very supportive of each other. They just led the way,” “Boots” said of his brothers’ influence on him. “They showed me what to do and what not to do, and I just followed their instructions and always stayed in some kind of shape and that’s it. You never know when you’re going to get that call. So that’s what I do, try to stay in some kind of shape, try to live the right lifestyle outside of boxing in case I have to get a call and I’ll be ready.”
So, since he was a jumper, “Boots” has been running around his father’s gym watching, training and understanding what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Jaron Ennis poses for photographs during Media Day before her IBF welterweight title fight against Karen Chukhadzhian on November 6, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
“I’ve seen it all, so I know what it takes,” said “Boots.” “I know how everything is going and I have that confidence because I put in the effort. I know what to do and I know what I did, and I know that nobody can do anything with me. I’m fit, I do everything right, I don’t take shortcuts. My training camps are going very well, so that’s where my confidence comes from for sure.”
Even though it was his third time fighting in the South Philadelphia arena earlier this month, “Boots” considered his first-round knockout of Lima a “coming full circle moment” because of how important this fight was, even if Lima wasn’t the biggest name in the game. It was “Boots'” first fight in a new division after being the unified welterweight champion, holding the IBF and WBA titles before making the jump to junior middleweight.
He’s been training his entire life to get to this point in the sport, where the glorified “pound-for-pound best” debate involves his name in some way. And he doesn’t mind the pressure or expectations, especially given his family history in the sport.
That was shown by his patented confidence that wasn’t too calm after the fight, as he called out those in his new weight class, including Vergil Ortiz Jr., the WBC interim champion.
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It is a fight that is in the works and is expected in 2026 after Ortiz fights on November 8.
“I want to take them down one by one. I want to show everyone why I’m the best in the world,” he said.
The pound-for-pound conversation usually revolves around Terence “Bud” Crawford, especially after defeating Canelo Alvarez to become the undisputed super middleweight champion. He became the only male fighter in the four-belt era to be undisputed champion in three different weight classes, but that’s exactly what “Boots” is going for.
Jaron Ennis (L) and Eimantas Stanionis (R) during their fight for the Ring Magazine, IBF and WBA Welterweight World Titles at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on April 12, 2025 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
In fact, some compare “Boots” to Crawford, but the former doesn’t like it. Not because he doesn’t respect Crawford’s fighting style, but because in his mind they are two separate entities.
“We are two totally different fighters. I don’t like when they compare him and me because we don’t fight in anything the same. He has his style and I have mine,” said “Boots.”
If there’s one thing “Boots” wants to be compared to when it comes to Crawford, it’s his legacy in boxing. Crawford is in the twilight of his career, while “Boots” is in its prime. There is the potential to be the pound-for-pound best in the sport, and “Boots” believes the conversation will only grow as he moves up the 154-pound class.
“My legacy, like I said, I want to be a multi-division champion and I want to show the world that I’m really him. And I will,” he said. “We started in [147 pounds] and I was linear champion at 147; I’m in the history books at 147. Now, we’re at 154 and moving on. 154, 160 and possibly 168.”
“Boots” simply responded, “Facts,” when asked if he thinks he will reach the mark of the best pound-for-pound boxer at some point in his career. Again, the quiet confidence as he continued to smile.
Jaron Ennis celebrates his victory over Eimantas Stanionis to capture the IBF, WBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on April 12, 2025 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)
But the weight of those expectations has the ability to crush the shoulders of the fighter who carries them. However, “Boots” has the skill and support system necessary to get through that tough journey, which includes his mother, who he believes will do whatever he needs to support his dream.
“Family is everything. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said. “My brothers and my dad paved the way for me and my mom too. They showed me what to do and what not to do and stuff like that. And treat people the way you want to be treated. That’s how I carry myself.”
