FIGHT WEEK
THE GIFTED Jaron Ennis faces his toughest test against Sergey Lipinets SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME.
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JARON ENNIS (26-0, 24 KOs) VS.
SERGEY LIPINETS (16–1-1, 12 KOs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE
- Date: Saturday, April 10
- Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
- TV/Stream: Showtime
- Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
- At stake: No titles
- Pound-for-pound ranking: None
- Odds: Ennis 9-1 favorite
- Also on the card: Eimantas Stanionis vs. Thomas Dulorme, welterweights; Jerwin Ancajas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, junior bantamweights (for Ancajas’ IBF title)
- Prediction: Ennis KO 8
- Background: Ennis, 23, is one of the most promising young fighters in the world. The gifted Philadelphian is quick, slick and can end any fight in an instant; he has scored 15 consecutive knockouts in completed fights. His most-recent outing, against veteran Chris van Heerden in December, was ruled a no-contest after van Heerden was cut on the forehead by an accidental head butt in the opening round and couldn’t continue. Ennis is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies. Thus, a victory on Saturday would bring him a significant step closer to his first title shot. Lipinets, ranked by two organizations, is Ennis’ toughest test – at least on paper. The Los Angeles-based Russian, a rugged, aggressive fighter, is a former junior welterweight titleholder who is 3-0-1 as a welterweight. He’s coming off a hard-fought majority draw against capable Custio Clayton in October. Another unbeaten young contender, Eimantas Stanionis (12-0, 9 KOs), faces his greatest test on the card. The Los Angeles area-based Lithuanian will take on former title challenger Thomas Dulorme (25-4-1, 16 KOs), who is 1-2-1 in his last four fights but seen as a solid stepping stone for a rising contender. Stanionis is 26.
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