PHILADELPHIA – In a recent matchup held at the Wells Fargo Center, Jaron Ennis successfully defended his IBF welterweight championship title, securing a unanimous decision victory against Ukrainian contender Karen Chukhadzhian. Ennis, who fights under the nickname “Boots,” displayed a lackluster performance that concluded with scorecards reading 119-107, 117-109, and 116-110 in his favor.
The 27-year-old fighter from northwest Philadelphia returned to the ring for the second time this year in front of a home crowd. The bout bore less excitement than anticipated, highlighted by a moment in the fifth round when Ennis landed a series of body shots that sent Chukhadzhian to his knee, energizing his supporters in the arena.
Despite his corner urging him to finish the fight decisively, Ennis struggled to capitalize on the momentum to achieve a knockout, which appeared to be his primary objective for the evening. While he secured victory, he failed to impress many new viewers watching on DAZN, as he could not deliver the decisive finish expected from a rising star in American boxing.
This fight marked a rematch from their previous encounter in January 2023, in which Ennis also came out on top by unanimous decision. Earlier this year, he defended his title against Roiman Villa in Atlantic City and most recently defeated David Avanesyan in his hometown.
Concerns regarding Ennis’s defensive capabilities were evident during the match; he appeared unsteady after taking a strong left hand in the opening round. Chukhadzhian, needing to prove himself after a disappointing first bout against Ennis, fought more aggressively but still failed to make an impactful mark on the scorecards as he landed some body shots but lacked effectiveness in overall performance.
In July, Ennis headlined a fight card that attracted over 14,000 fans at the Wells Fargo Center. Saturday’s audience was diminished, drawing around 10,000 fans largely due to the matchup being against a familiar and less engaging opponent. Still, the crowd remained supportive, capturing moments on their smartphones when the ring announcer encouraged them to show their support for Ennis.
Accompanied by rapper G Herbo and sporting eye-catching metal shoulder spikes along with purple and white trunks, Ennis expressed his ambitions to challenge prominent fighters such as Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, as well as a desire to potentially face Canelo Alvarez. He has also hinted at the possibility of moving up to the 154-pound weight class in the future.
In another notable fight on the card, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez defended his super flyweight title with a third-round TKO against Pedro Guevara. Rodriguez, who hails from San Antonio, showcased his skill by knocking down Guevara twice in the round. The second drop forced the referee to stop the contest, allowing Rodriguez to maintain his unbeaten record at 21-0.
Rodriguez expressed satisfaction with the outcome, although he anticipated it, stating, “I really thought he was going to stand there and fight a little more.” The night showcased all the excitement and challenges that boxing fans have come to respect in these high-energy matchups.