Boxing

Jaron Ennis Ready To 'Claim The Crown' vs. Eimantas Stanionis

Jaron Ennis faces Eimantas Stanionis in a unification bout for the IBF and WBA welterweight titles on April 12.
Nathaniel Marrero|
Jaron Ennis
Jaron Ennis | IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire

There often comes a time when a once highly-touted prospect has an opportunity to prove they're everything they were hyped to become.

For Jaron "Boots" Ennis, that opportunity comes on April 12 when he faced fellow undefeated champion Eimantas Stanionis in a unification bout for the IBF and WBA welterweight titles at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Ennis has no doubt about where he stands in the welterweight division and he plans to prove that against Stanionis.

“I’m the best in the world in the Welterweight division,” Ennis said on Matchroom Boxing's YouTube series, 'Make The Days Count.' "Whatever he does, I do better. I don’t think he’s watched my fights; I never get tired. It’s going to be a long night for him. It’s my belt and his belt; it’s time to Claim The Crown.”

Ennis' promoter, Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn, believes the fight vs. Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) will give his fighter the opportunity to cement himself as one of the top names in boxing. Hearn also thinks the way Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) and Stanionis match up stylistically could be a recipe for back-and-forth fight.

“Everything is set,” Hearn said. “It’s the fight of the division, No. 1 vs No. 2. It’s the fight to show how special Jaron is. It’s set up perfectly for what I believe is the next superstar of boxing. Stanionis has the style that could make me lean towards an Ennis KO in this fight. But he also has the style to turn this into a war. I can’t wait.”

Ennis vs. Stanionis is widely viewed as a matchup between the top two welterweights in the world. Both fighters have somewhat plateaued since being elevated to a world titlist after Terence Crawford vacated his titles, but now their paths will cross and the winner will get the most impressive victory of their career and add another belt in the process.

MORE: Eimantas Stanionis Ready To F*** Up Jaron Ennis' Plans

Ennis can do it all from both stances and has the skill and power to make it a short night. Stanionis' pressure and ability to fight on the inside can make life difficult for anyone if they can't aptly hold him off.

With the stakes and how they match up, it shouldn't shock anyone if Ennis vs. Stanionis lives up to expectations and becomes one of the best fights in 2025.

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero

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