Jaron Ennis has his sights on taking over boxing but could be derailed by former world champion Sergey Lipinets when the two square off Saturday night on SHOWTIME.
Are we on the verge of seeing the birth of the next superstar in the welterweight glamour division or will a savvy, no-frills technician upset everything and stake his claim to the elite ranks of the 147 lb. class?
This Saturday, April 10, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., Jaron “Boots” Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) takes on former world champ Sergey Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) in a twelve-round clash with big picture implications in the deep and talented welterweight division.
The Story
Jaron Ennis, 23, is one of the top young names in the game, universally viewed by experts as a “can’t miss” superstar-in-the-making who is just about ready to take on the very best.
Headlining his first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event, this will be the Philadelphia native’s first real test against a prime, world class opponent. Trained by his father Bozy Ennis, “Boots” is the younger brother of former pros Derek and Farah Ennis.
Lipinets is a former junior welterweight world champion and an established presence in the top ten of the welterweight division.
The 32-year-old Kazakhstan-born, Russia-representing, Woodland Hills, California resident is eager to fight his way to the deep end of the welterweight talent pool and would earn his spot there by upsetting his well-regarded rising-star opponent.
The Stakes
At stake for both Ennis and Lipinets is a spot among the elite in the lucrative 147 lb. class, a case for a world title shot, and a chance at so much more.
The Matchup
Ennis has been turning heads throughout his five-year pro career. Twenty-two of his twenty-four knockouts have come inside of four rounds. He was also on a sixteen-fight stoppage streak coming into his last bout before an accidental headbutt in the first round opened a cut on Chris Van Heerden and led to a no decision.
The young star has extremely quick and heavy hands, as well as outstanding overall athleticism. He’s also a switch-hitter with equal power from orthodox and southpaw stances. His lefty-righty game is augmented by an up-and-down game that sees him going to the body with nearly a third of his power shots.
His physical tools, combined with his fluidity as a combination puncher, make him a potent offensive fighter. So far, nobody has been able to handle what he can deliver. He’s barreled through some solid names and was the first to stop tough former title challenger Juan Carlos Abreu. He was also well on his way to taking out Van Heerden when the accidental headbutt ended their fight early.
Defensively, Ennis is intuitive and effective, although his tremendous offensive abilities have kept him from being truly tested on defense.
Lipinets, whose lone “L” was a competitive decision loss to Mikey Garcia in 2018, is a calm, disciplined fighter who likes to come forward. He has a wide variety of punches in his arsenal, but his best weapons are a solid jab and a sweeping right that sometimes borders on an overhand shot.
“ I’m ready to rock and roll, ready to shine and take over this division. ” Undefeated Welterweight Contender - Jaron Ennis
In recent fights, the Joe Goossen-trained former titlist has become more well-rounded, bending more at the waist and utilizing more angles to vary his offensive attack. A tenth-round stoppage of former world champ Lamont Peterson and a two-round blowout of Jayar Inson in 2019 serve as testament to his improved offensive game. In his last bout, however, he struggled through injury and a frustrating stylistic matchup in a majority draw against the undefeated Custio Clayton.
On defense, Lipinets utilizes a high-guard defense to augment his solid chin and, when at his best, upper body movement to avoid incoming shots. He does, however, have his lapses and some susceptibility to the right hand.
The Words
Jaron Ennis
“I’m ready to rock and roll, ready to shine and take over this division. It’s my time and this is the fight that’s going to take me to the next level and bring out the skills and ability that you’ve never seen before. You will see an amazing, strong, sharp fighter ready to put on a punishing performance and get the knockout at the end of the night.”
Sergey Lipinets
“I’m not afraid of anything...This ‘stepping stone’ is going to be too high for Ennis. I’m going to go in there and give him a hell of a night...Ultimately, we all want those world titles. This is the kind of fight where the winner can’t be denied anymore. Ennis is not a boogeyman, he’s another fighter with two hands and two feet.”
The Breakdown
Things are going to get heated quickly in this one. Ennis loves to start fast and furious with an opening-moments offensive surge. Lipinets is fearless and is always coming forward. There could very easily be a testing of chins and mettle as early as the opening seconds of the fight.
Lipinets is a full step or two better and more skilled than anyone Ennis has faced so far. This is most definitely a step up in class for the 23-year-old and he may have to dip into a Plan B if/when his slice-and-dice Plan A doesn’t result in an early-rounds KO.
If the veteran former champ can make it through the early barrages, things may begin to even out considerably. Ennis is a tremendous offensive fighter, but has never been past the sixth round. He’s never really been pushed by a game, effective opponent. At this point, there’s no book on what his limits may be.
All in all, this will be a test for both fighters. We may be in for the fiery birth of a new star in the welterweight division or a crash and burn at the hands of a cool, clinical pro’s pro. Either way, expect something explosive.
For a closer look at Ennis vs Lipinets, check out our fight night page.
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