Jaron Ennis wasn’t holding back during his post-fight press conference early Sunday at Boardwalk Hall, addressing the room full of reporters with a bold challenge.
“This was what y’all was waitin’ for? This was what y’all looking for?” he asked defiantly, knowing full well he had heard the growing criticism after his less-than-impressive win over Karen Chukhadzhian last November.
But Ennis, a 27-year-old from Philadelphia, answered those doubts with an explosive performance, knocking out undefeated welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis in Saturday’s fight. His technical knockout (TKO) was a dominant statement, proving he could back up his claims of being the best in the world.
“I’ll beat anybody in the world,” Ennis boldly declared. “I’m the best fighter in the world. I keep saying it. These fighters can’t mess with me.”
Ennis’s win earned him the vacant Ring championship and the WBA belt previously held by Stanionis. While Ennis isn’t yet listed on The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings, both he and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, are confident his performance has earned him a place in the top 10.
Ennis has long sought a fight with undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford. However, top fighters like Errol Spence Jr., Keith Thurman, and Danny Garcia had been reluctant to face him. When Ennis called for a challenge, Stanionis answered, but the Lithuanian boxer ended up suffering his first loss, making history as the first fighter to be knocked down by Ennis.
The sixth round saw Ennis drop Stanionis to a knee after a flurry of powerful left uppercuts to the body and head. Although Stanionis quickly regained his feet, he was battered and bloodied, prompting his trainer to stop the fight in the corner to prevent further damage.
“I really was just getting in my groove, for real,” Ennis said afterward. “None of these fighters can mess with me. I’m the best in the world.”
Ennis’s defense also stood out in this bout. He skillfully avoided punches and neutralized Stanionis’s power, countering with an array of devastating shots to both the head and body. Ennis had clearly studied his opponent’s tactics, anticipating the pressure and hooks Stanionis would bring.
“We knew what he was coming to do – put pressure, jab, hook,” Ennis explained. “I took all that away from him and just went in there, had fun, and put on a show.”
Looking ahead, Ennis aims for a showdown with WBC champion Mario Barrios and WBO champion Brian Norman Jr., as he targets becoming boxing’s second undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era. Hearn believes Ennis could have the welterweight division cleared out by this time next year, setting him up for the biggest fights in the 154-pound division.
“I’ll beat anybody in the world,” Ennis reiterated, confident in his ability to conquer both welterweight and junior middleweight divisions. “I’m the best fighter in the world. These fighters can’t mess with me.”
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