Jaron Ennis vs Josh Kelly Unification Could Happen Sooner Than Expected

If it does happen, one man walks away having claimed three super welterweight titles in less than a year.

Jaron Ennis | Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis could have the chance to collect three of the four super welterweight titles in under a year in what would be an unprecedented run, but it won’t be a walk in the park as Josh Kelly has his eyes on the same prize.

The newly crowned WBA and WBO unified champion dispatched Xander Zayas with a seventh-round stoppage after already having him on the canvas twice. But some have been critical of Ennis’s performance, saying he was lazy with his defense and inside work at times, which allowed Zayas to claw himself back into the fight at points.

It was, however, clear that ‘Boots’ was a level or two above the young former champion, but switching off is not a favorable trait if you plan to become undisputed.

Jaron Ennis vs Xander Zayas | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Kelly claimed his title against the avoided Bakhram Murtazaliev earlier this year and just defended it against Caoimhín Agyarko on Anthony Joshua’s undercard this past weekend. He's now on the hunt for Ennis and his two belts.

Kelly has said many times that he feels the need to prove himself against the best there is after a mixed last few years rebuilding following a heartbreaking loss to David Avenesyan. It is clear that Kelly wants to show the world the talent that he really is, and fighting 'Boots' is a great way to do it.

Josh Kelly injury update and unification plans with Ennis

Aiming to display his development and tenacity, Josh Kelly gets ready for his key middleweight fight against Liam Smith at Wembley Stadium

The Brit suffered a nasty cut in his first title defense, but according to his trainer Adam Booth, he will recover in eight weeks and pursue the fight with Ennis.

“Fortunately, because of the surgeon Neil Scott, he did a fantastic job. He used little stitches and a few of them to speed up the repair and healing process,” Booth told talkSPORT. “Josh is going to be healed in eight weeks, which means that, certainly by the end of the year, he’ll be okay.”

If it is unification that Kelly wants, then he can only go to ‘Boots’ as, according to Booth, the WBC champion Sebastian Fundora is dealing with his mandatory, Vergil Ortiz Jr.

Sebastian Fundora | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

“Josh wants to unify, whether that’s ‘Boots’ or whether that’s Fundora. Now, I don’t think it can be Fundora this year because I think he’s doing his WBC mandatory,” Booth explained. “Boots doesn’t have a fight scheduled, he’s with Matchroom, he said he wants to fight Josh.

“I want Josh to have the chance to prove just how good he is. There is no one in the division that’s a better challenge to do that than ‘Boots’ Ennis, who is the most accomplished and proven champion in the division.”