Jaron Ennis is preparing for an upcoming unification fight.
The reigning IBF welterweight champion will be looking to add another belt to his collection when he meets current WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on April 12.
Ennis currently has an undefeated record of 33-0, with 29 of those wins coming by knockout, and he was last in action in November when he defeated Karen Chukhadzhian by unanimous decision to retain his title.
Stanionis is also undefeated with a record of 15-0 with one no contest, and was elevated to the full WBA title after holding the ‘Regular’ version of the belt from 2022.
While Ennis will currently have his full attention on Stanionis, that hasn’t stopped another reigning world champion from sending out a defiant message to ‘Boots.’
That man is Teofimo Lopez, the WBO super-lightweight champion, who on an Instagram Live video made it clear what he thinks will happen when he faces Ennis.
“I’m going to dog him for sure. Imma dog that boy. He’s never faced a fighter like me.”
Lopez has been linked to a fight with Ennis later this year, but as of now nothing official has been announced. It did seem like he would defend his belt against former champion Subriel Matias in March, but it fell through after Lopez turned down the offer presented to him.
One issue potentially surrounding Lopez is the status of his WBO title, after he was ordered to face the winner of next week’s Jack Catterall vs. Arnold Barboza fight within 90 days, which could potentially lead to him choosing to vacate his belt instead. He has also been linked with a unification bout against Richardson Hitchins.
What isn’t in doubt is his intention to move up to welterweight in the future. Whether or not Ennis will be waiting for him remains to be seen.
