Jaron Ennis and Josh Kelly Headed for Super Welterweight Unification This Winter
Eddie Hearn confirms Ennis vs Kelly unification is locked in for December or early January.
The super welterweight division is about to get a lot clearer. Eddie Hearn confirmed in an interview with Pro Boxing Fans that Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Josh Kelly are on a collision course for a unification fight, targeted for either December or very early January.
Hearn holds contracts with both fighters and says he can activate the bout through existing clauses without needing a separate negotiation. "It's either December or very early January," Hearn told Pro Boxing Fans, calling it his next intended activation.
Ennis has been one of the most avoided fighters in the 154-pound division, a slick southpaw with power in both hands and the kind of lateral movement that makes opponents look silly. Kelly, who holds a 19-1-1 record with 9 knockouts, has rebuilt his career into a legitimate championship run after an earlier stumble.
The tactical matchup is fascinating. Per Boxing News 24, analysts believe Ennis's pace changes and footwork could cause Kelly early problems, but Ennis will need to cut off the ring effectively to prevent Kelly from finding his range on the outside.
No venue has been announced yet, but the fight is expected to land on DAZN given Hearn's promotional ties. With both fighters under the Matchroom umbrella, there are fewer obstacles than usual for a unification of this magnitude.
This is the kind of fight boxing needs more of: two guys in their prime, both holding hardware, and a promoter who can actually make it happen without six months of Twitter posturing. Ennis is a problem for everybody at 154. The movement, the power, the switch-hitting. Kelly is game and he's earned his spot, but I think Boots is on another level right now.
The interesting part is that Hearn can just flip a switch and make this fight. No cross-promotional headaches, no network wars. That's the upside of having both guys under one roof. I expect Ennis to win this, probably by late stoppage, but Kelly's footwork is sneaky good and he could make it competitive through the middle rounds. Either way, the 154-pound picture gets a lot cleaner after this one.
