Jarron ‘Boots’ Ennis vs. David Avanesyan fight predictions, odds,

It’s easy to play a game of compare and contrast between young rising pound-for-pound fighters Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Shakur Stevenson. After Stevenson drew criticism for another “boring” performance this past weekend, Ennis will enter the ring on Saturday to face David Avanesyan looking to do the exact opposite.

Like Stevenson, whose fight took place in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, Ennis is set to operate in front of his local Philadelphia faithful when he puts his IBF welterweight title on the line against Avanesyan.

Where Stevenson and Ennis differ is in their approach to fights. Stevenson is a defensive wizard and the most difficult man in boxing to land punches against according to punch stats, a valuable skill but one that produces the kind of dull fight that had some Newark fans heading for the exits during last Saturday’s fight. Ennis is more of an offense-first fighter, with 28 stoppage wins in his perfect 31-0 record.

Ennis has only had to fight beyond the sixth round twice in his career. Those two fights have come in Ennis’ most recent outings, taking a decision over Karen Chukhadzhian to win the IBF interim welterweight title and then stopping Roiman Villa in the 10th round in his first defense of a world title after being promoted from interim champion when Crawford moved up to junior middleweight rather than defend his undisputed world championship against Ennis.

Ennis was originally set to defend his title against Cody Crowley, but Crowley was forced out of the bout due to an eye injury. Avanesyan got the call and accepted the fight, giving him a second opportunity to fight for a world title.

Avanesyan’s first chance to become world champion came in his most recent fight, a December 2022 bout with Crawford. Avanesyan fought well in the early rounds before getting crushed with a combination of an uppercut into a right hand that finished things off.

Coming up…