Eddie Hearn ‘still talking’ to make ‘Boots’ Ennis-Brian Norman Jr

Matchroom are continuing their efforts to make a unification fight between Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Brian Norman Jr.

Ennis’ promoters have targeted a date of November 9 in Philadelphia, the 27-year-old Ennis’ home city and the location of his stoppage in July of David Avanesyan on the occasion of his first defence of the IBF welterweight title.

Most recently Brian Norman Snr, the father and trainer of the WBO champion, described an agreement for his son, 23, to be Ennis’ opponent as “very close”, and Eddie Hearn told BoxingScene: “We want a unification fight for ‘Boots’. If Norman has the balls to step up and fight Boots Ennis, then fair play to him. He should be commended as someone that wants to make the best fights in the sport, and I think Jaron Ennis against Norman is a brilliant fight for American boxing.

“We made two offers to Top Rank, for Brian Norman. Both of which were rejected; I think they were really solid offers; I think they would also agree the money was strong. But we didn’t hear back with a counter-offer. 

“I saw something saying, ‘We made a counter-offer’. That’s not true. We’ve never received a counter-offer; we’ve never received a number that gets it done. We just made two offers that were rejected. So, no problem. Listen, let’s keep talking.

“We’ve also made offers to [Eimantas] Stanionis. We’ve made offers to [Mario] Barrios as well. So, the three [other] champions. Obviously we’ve got the mandatory, Karen Chukhadzhian, but with all due respect, he’s already fought him, and we don’t really want that fight. We don’t see the value in that fight. But it is what it is with the IBF, so it would be our preferred option to make a unification. No date confirmed, but it will be November.”