Jaron Ennis wants to destroy Custio Clayton, then fight Spence or Crawford for titles

[Enlightened-One]

"Jaron Ennis wants to destroy Custio Clayton, then fight Spence or Crawford for titles"

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (28-0, 26 KOs) intends to make a statement by knocking out Custio Clayton (19-0-1, 12 KOs) in their scheduled 12-round IBF welterweight title eliminator in the co-feature spot on the Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano card on Showtime.

The winner of Saturday’s Ennis vs. Clayton fight will be the mandatory challenger for IBF welterweight champion Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence.

With that said, it’s unlikely Spence will wait around to fight either of them, as he’s planning on attempting to put an undisputed clash together with WBO champion Terence Crawford.

Regardless of whether Spence is successful, he’ll move up to 154. The same applies to Crawford. Boots Ennis says he doesn’t care if Crawford & Spence move up to junior middleweight. Eventually, he’ll fight them because they’d only be one division above welterweight.

This means for the young talent ‘Boots’ Ennis, 24, that he’ll almost surely be fighting for the vacant IBF 147-lb title next if he gets by the 2012 Olympian Clayton on Saturday.

Ennis might fight one of these highly ranked contenders for the vacant IBF 147-lb title later this year: Vergil Ortiz, Conor Benn, Ivan Golub, or David Avanesyan.

Of that bunch, it will likely be either Golub or Avanesyan that winds up agreeing to fight Boots Ennis. It’s improbable that Conor Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn will choose to throw him in with Ennis because he’s not ready for that opponent.

“It doesn’t matter to me if Spence and Crawford decide to stay in the division and face me,” Jaron Ennis said. “I’d love to take the belts away from the champion, but if I have to fight for a vacant belt, I’ll see Spence and Crawford at 154 lbs. They can’t go too far.”

Ennis should make easy work of 34-year-old Canadian Clayton on Saturday, as this is not one of the major talents in the division.

Although Clayton fought in the 2012 Olympics for Canada, he looked unimpressive in his fight against Sergey Lipinets last year, laboring to a 12-round draw. In comparison, Ennis destroyed Lipinets in six rounds last year in April.

Custio Clayton’s last six opponents

Cameron Krael – UD 10 win
Sergey Lipinets – Draw 12
Diego Ramirez – KO 8
Johan Perez – UD 10
DeMarcus Corley – KO 6
Stephan Danyo – UD 12

For some reason, Clayton’s management has matched him like a fighter with little amateur experience, bringing him up at a glacially slow pace. Eight years as a professional, and the only name on Clayton’s resume is Lipinets.

“This fight is everything to me. This is a big stage and it’s time for me to shine I’m looking to show everyone everything that I’m capable of. I’m coming for the knockout. That’s what the fans are coming to see. I’m going to show them what I can do and close the show with a knockout.”

Jaron Ennis’s last six opponents

Thomas Dulorme – KO 1
Sergey Lipinets – KO 6
Chris Van Heerden – NC
Juan Carlos Abreu – TKO 6
Bakhtiyar Eyubov – TKO 4
Damian Fernandez – TKO 3

Thoughts?

[Enlightened-One]

My personal opinion, Showtime’s Jaron Ennis will go down the WBO route to challenge for Terence Crawford’s WBO world welterweight title after he’s dealt with Clayton (assuming Bud doesn’t face Errol Spence Jr. next).

I believe that Showtime and the PBC want to gain complete control over the welterweight division and in order to monopolise the 147lbs weight class, they just need to capture Crawford’s WBO strap, allowing them to own all four titles.

In terms of Terence Crawford, if he doesn’t receive an opportunity to engage in an undisputed world welterweight title bout next, then I reckon he’ll vacate and make the jump to 154lbs.

Terence Crawford doesn’t have a promoter and nor is he aligned with a broadcaster. He’s just lost his advisor, MTK Global.

He can’t get the WBC, WBA or IBF to force Errol Spence Jr. to fight him.

But Crawford can lobby the WBO to become the mandatory challenger to the winner of the Charlo-Castano rematch and then progress to the purse bid process, resulting in a promoter and network being forced to cover the bout.

The problem with this approach though, is that Crawford would be forced to accept B-side terms. But if he beats the winner of the Charlo-Castano rematch, then he'll have something meaninful to help him successfully negotiate a new luctrative deal.

I could be wrong, but that’s how I predict things will pan out.

[Bandog]

I think both Crawford and Spence will move up if things don't work out. Then they can avoid each other at 154.

Maybe Thurman will fight Boots? Hopefully.

[gilgamesh]

I just hope Ennis fights a big name soon. He's as ready as he's gonna get for the big time or at least the attempt at it.

[Cent0089]

I think both Crawford and Spence will move up if things don't work out. Then they can avoid each other at 154.

Maybe Thurman will fight Boots? Hopefully.

Ennis can go to 154 too. No place to hide