Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn reveals that Jaron Ennis has to make a mandatory defense against a former foe.
During a video interview Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn revealed some news that IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has been officially ordered to make a mandatory defense against Karen Chukhadzhian — a fighter he beat in January 2023 in a rather unmemorable affair.
“The mandatory has been called, and I’m not over the moon about it because — it’s a good fighter in Chukhadzhian but it’s someone that he’s boxed before,” Hearn said. “There’s nothing we can do in terms of the mandatory that’s been called, but we want to make the biggest fights out there.
“So it’s frustrating. If it’s a fight that has to be ticked off quickly, well, we’ll do it. But we want big fights for Conor Benn and particularly for Jaron Ennis. Maybe they fight each other. But the plan for Boots, unquestionably, is to be in unification fights.
“I’ve made a substantial offer to Mario Barrios to fight Jaron Ennis, let’s see what he says.”
While Hearn looks to bigger fights, it appears a rematch with Chukhadzian is likely to take place next, and you can bet after the last showing fans won’t be all that inspired to have a lot of confidence about the kind of fight they’ll see.
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