Josh Kelly and Jaron Ennis Agree to Terms for 154-Pound Unification Fight
Josh Kelly and Jaron Ennis have agreed to terms for a three-belt unification at 154 pounds, targeting early January on DAZN.
Josh Kelly and Jaron "Boots" Ennis have agreed to terms for a 154-pound unification fight, per Boxing News 24. The bout would put Ennis's WBA and WBO titles on the line alongside Kelly's IBF belt, with an early January target date.
The holdup is the broadcast partner. Kelly's trainer, Adam Booth, told reporters that the terms have been locked in for some time. "We've had our terms agreed for the Boots fight for some time," Booth said. "It's literally waiting for DAZN to give Matchroom a date."
Kelly recently underwent minor nose surgery following his decision win over Caoimhin Agyarko on July 25. With recovery behind him, the British fighter is ready to step into the biggest fight of his career.
Ennis has been on a tear. He defeated Bakhram Murtazaliev before stopping Xander Zayas in seven rounds this past June. At 154, Boots has looked every bit the generational talent his backers have been calling him since the amateurs.
A location has not been confirmed, though a British venue would make sense given Kelly's drawing power at home. Three belts on the line, a hungry challenger, and an elite champion. This is the kind of fight the 154-pound division has needed.
This is the fight that makes or breaks Josh Kelly. I've liked his talent for years, but talent means nothing if you can't prove it against the best. Boots Ennis is a problem for everybody at 154, the kind of complete fighter who punishes you for every mistake and makes you pay double for the ones you don't even know you're making.
Kelly has to make this ugly if he wants to win. He's not going to outbox Ennis in a track meet. He needs to smother, clinch, rough him up on the inside, and steal rounds with the kind of gritty work that doesn't look pretty but shows up on the scorecards. If he tries to be slick and stay at range, Boots will walk him down and stop him before the eighth.
I'm pulling for Kelly because I love a good underdog story, but my wallet says Ennis by stoppage in the second half.
