Jaron “Boots” Ennis sat with his arms folded across the table, staring at his latest opponent, Uisma Lima, and telling him their boxing match would be short and sweet.
“In and out like a robbery,” the 28-year-old Ennis said with a smirk.
Confidence is a necessity in boxing – a fighter must believe they will defeat their opponent no matter the odds. But Ennis, the Philadelphia native, seemed so sure of himself in that moment. Granted, he was a heavy favorite, but this was his first fight at the 154-pound, junior middleweight division.
Yet, he backed up every word, knocking down Lima twice before a first-round stoppage to be granted the interim WBA junior middleweight belt on Oct. 11 in his home city. When you are an undefeated boxer who has knocked out all but four of your opponents as a professional (35-0), it’s hard not to be overly confident.
But for Ennis, the canvas, ropes and gloves feels entirely like home. There’s a comfort because, after all, it’s the family business.
“I guess just me being around the boxing game for so long and seeing my brothers come up, I kinda knew what to expect,” Ennis told Fox News Digital during a recent interview in New York City. “I knew what was going on. So, I’m just comfortable no matter where I’m at, whether it’s in the ring, doing interviews. Wherever, I’m always comfortable. I kinda see everything already – I’ve been here before.”
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In Philadelphia, the last name Ennis rings the bell in the boxing community. It starts with Derek “Bozy” Ennis, “Boots'” father and trainer, who was naturally harder on his boy than the rest of his clients.
“It’s expected because he knows what I can do,” “Boots” said of his father’s training. “I gotta deliver it, so that’s what I be on. I don’t take the criticisms hard from my dad – it’s actually motivation for me to keep going.”
“Boots” added that he prefers the tough love, saying, “I don’t want no yes-men around me.” He wants to know what he’s doing right or wrong.
But his brothers also laid the foundation for that. Derek “Pooh” Ennis and Farah “The Quiet Storm” Ennis were both professional fighters in their own right with lofty expectations, though they never competed for a world title like their little brother.
“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 direction and always stayed in some type of shape and ready. You never know when you’re going to get that call. So, that’s what I do, try to stay in some type of shape, try to live the right lifestyle outside of boxing in case I do have to get a call and I’ll be ready.”
So, since he was in a jumper, “Boots” was running around his father’s gym observing, training and understanding what it takes to compete at the highest level.
“I’ve seen it all, so I know what it takes,” “Boots” said. “I know how everything goes and just having that confidence because I put the work in. I know what to do and I know what I did, and I know can’t nobody do nothing with me. I’m in shape, I do everything right, I don’t cut no corners. My training camps be going great, so that’s where my confidence comes from for sure.”
Even though it was his third time fighting in the South Philly arena earlier this month, “Boots” considered his first-round knockout of Lima a “full-circle moment” due to 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 previously being the unified welterweight champion, holding both the IBF and WBA titles before making the jump to junior middleweight.
He’s been training his whole life to get to this point in the sport, where the glorified “best pound-for-pound” debate involves his name in some capacity. And he doesn’t mind the pressure or expectation, especially given his family history in the sport.
That was showcased with his patented confidence which wasn’t too quiet 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’s a fight that’s in the works and expected for 2026 after Ortiz fights on Nov. 8.
“I want to knock 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 Álvarez 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 shooting for.
In fact, some compare “Boots” to Crawford, but the former isn’t a fan of it. Not because he doesn’t respect Crawford’s fighting style, but rather they’re two separate entities in his mind.
“We’re totally two different fighters. I don’t like when they compare me and him together because we don’t fight nothing alike. He’s got his style and I’ve got my style,” “Boots” said.
If there’s anything “Boots” wants to be compared to when it comes to Crawford, it’s their legacy within boxing. Crawford is at the twilight of his career, while “Boots” is in his prime. The potential is there to be the pound-for-pound best in the sport, and “Boots” believes that conversation will only grow as he works through the 154-pound class.
“My legacy, like I’ve said, I want to be a multi-division champ and I want to show the world that I’m really him. And I will,” he said. “We started at [147 pounds] and I was lineal champion at 147 – I’m in the history books at 147. Now, we’re at 154 now, and we just keep going. 154, 160 and possibly 168.”
“Boots” simply replied, “Facts,” when asked if he believes he’ll reach that best-pound-for-pound-boxer mark at some point in his career. Again, the quiet confidence as he smiled on.
But the weight of those expectations has the ability to crush the shoulders of the fighter who’s burdened with them. However, “Boots” has the skill and the support system necessary to go through that hard-fought journey, which includes his mother, who he says will do whatever he needs to support his dream.
“Family means everything. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today,” he said. “My brothers and my dad paved my way for me and my mom as well. They showed me what to do and what not to do and things like that. And treat people how you want to be treated. That’s how I carry myself.”
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