“Boots” Ennis Shows Power in 154-Pound Debut
Jaron “Boots” Ennis, with a dominant performance, needed only two minutes to defeat Uisma Lima by technical knockout in his debut in the 154-pound category. The fight took place at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Ennis’ hometown.
From the start, Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) showed himself superior to an opponent who couldn’t counter the former welterweight champion’s skill. “I did what I had to do,” Ennis declared. “I’m here at 154 pounds and I made my mark, so bring me the big names.”
In the early stages, Ennis and Lima exchanged blows, but “Boots” connected with a left hook that sent Lima to the canvas for the first time. Despite getting up, Lima (14-2, 10 KOs) looked visibly affected. Ennis gave no respite and continued to punish his rival with a combination of punches that forced the referee to stop the fight at 1:58 of the first round.
Ennis stated: “I sent a strong message. They already know what’s up and who I want.”
This victory sets the stage for an anticipated showdown between Ennis and WBC interim champion Vergil Ortiz, who will face Erickson Lubin on November 8th. Although a fight between Ennis and Ortiz was speculated about this year, it did not materialize. Now, Ennis is confident that the fight with Ortiz will happen in 2026.
“It’s going to happen,” Ennis assured, throwing down a challenge to the best boxers at 154 pounds. “I know [Ortiz] is focused on his fight. I want Vergil Ortiz, but if he doesn’t want it, I’ll fight [Jermell] Charlo, [Sebastian] Fundora, or Xander [Zayas]. Anyone can be my rival. This division is mine.”
