Tag: Jaron Ennis

Jaron Ennis sees Sergey Lipinets as stepping stone to stardom

Jaron Ennis sees his fight against Sergey Lipinets as a stepping stone to stardom.

Jaron Ennis has been waiting eagerly for this sort of step-up fight.

The 23-year-old welterweight contender, who faces former 140-pound titleholder Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, has been beating up on second-tier opponents. He hopes a victory over a more-respected foe will put him on a collision course with the best at 147.

Ennis and Lipinets will fight at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The card is on Showtime.

“I’ve been trying to get these kind of guys in the ring for two, two and half years, top guys, world champions, Top 10 guys. And it didn’t happen,” Ennis said on a conference call. “Now you’re about to see a different animal, a whole different beast.

“It’s time for me to do my thing. I’m really excited.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE

Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has been doing his thing since turning pro in 2016, which is to dominate one opponent after another with skills that some have compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr.

The Philadelphian appears to the eye to have it all – speed, athleticism, power, ring intelligence, a fighting spirit, you name it. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove it against a high-caliber opponent.

That’s where Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) comes in. The Los Angeles-based Kazakhstani is respected for his solid skill set and attacking style, which allowed him to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Akihiro Kondo in 2017.

Lipinets’ only loss came by a unanimous decision against probable Hall of Famer Mikey Garcia in 2018, which cost him his belt.

A victory over Lipinets – particularly an impressive one – would demonstrate to fans and his rivals that he’s as good as he has appeared to be. And, as he said, it should lead to bigger and better things.

Ennis was willing to discuss his immediate future but circled back to the task at hand several times during the conference call. Fighters in general don’t look past the man or woman directly in front of them, particularly proven entities like Lipinets.

At the same time, Ennis’ exudes confidence. He’s not cocky; he simply has unwavering belief in himself.

And while he respects Lipinets and what he’s accomplished, he believes his opponent’s style is perfect suited to his. It will be as if Lipinets is walking face first into a chain saw, Ennis predicted.

“It’s picture perfect,” Ennis said. “He’ll be running into shots all night long. It will be a long night for him.”

Ennis also was informed that Lipinets had suggested Ennis might run from him during the fight even though the latter also fights aggressively. Ennis smiled at that notion, as if to say Lipinets is in for a surprise if that’s what he believes.

“They don’t’ know what I’m going to bring,” he said. “I’m an all-around fighter. They don’t know how I’ll fight, I fight several different ways. Why say stuff like that? They don’t know how I’m going to come. They just know they need to be ready.”

In other words: “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I’m going to do.”

Then, if things go well, it’s on to the Terence Crawfords, Errol Spences and Manny Pacquiao’s of the world. At least that’s the plan.

“After I do my thing on Saturday – make a big statement in high fashion – it’s only up from there,” Ennis said. “… It’s on to the bigger, better, elite fighters, the Top 3 guys, maybe a world title shot by the end of the year.

“I believe my ranking will be up. … It will be the start of me becoming a pay-per-view star.”

[lawrence-related id=19180,16581,16573,13985,13904,15019]

Jaron Ennis sees Sergey Lipinets as stepping stone to stardom

Jaron Ennis sees his fight against Sergey Lipinets as a stepping stone to stardom.

Jaron Ennis has been waiting eagerly for this sort of step-up fight.

The 23-year-old welterweight contender, who faces former 140-pound titleholder Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, has been beating up on second-tier opponents. He hopes a victory over a more-respected foe will put him on a collision course with the best at 147.

Ennis and Lipinets will fight at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The card is on Showtime.

“I’ve been trying to get these kind of guys in the ring for two, two and half years, top guys, world champions, Top 10 guys. And it didn’t happen,” Ennis said on a conference call. “Now you’re about to see a different animal, a whole different beast.

“It’s time for me to do my thing. I’m really excited.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE

Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has been doing his thing since turning pro in 2016, which is to dominate one opponent after another with skills that some have compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr.

The Philadelphian appears to the eye to have it all – speed, athleticism, power, ring intelligence, a fighting spirit, you name it. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove it against a high-caliber opponent.

That’s where Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) comes in. The Los Angeles-based Kazakhstani is respected for his solid skill set and attacking style, which allowed him to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Akihiro Kondo in 2017.

Lipinets’ only loss came by a unanimous decision against probable Hall of Famer Mikey Garcia in 2018, which cost him his belt.

A victory over Lipinets – particularly an impressive one – would demonstrate to fans and his rivals that he’s as good as he has appeared to be. And, as he said, it should lead to bigger and better things.

Ennis was willing to discuss his immediate future but circled back to the task at hand several times during the conference call. Fighters in general don’t look past the man or woman directly in front of them, particularly proven entities like Lipinets.

At the same time, Ennis’ exudes confidence. He’s not cocky; he simply has unwavering belief in himself.

And while he respects Lipinets and what he’s accomplished, he believes his opponent’s style is perfect suited to his. It will be as if Lipinets is walking face first into a chain saw, Ennis predicted.

“It’s picture perfect,” Ennis said. “He’ll be running into shots all night long. It will be a long night for him.”

Ennis also was informed that Lipinets had suggested Ennis might run from him during the fight even though the latter also fights aggressively. Ennis smiled at that notion, as if to say Lipinets is in for a surprise if that’s what he believes.

“They don’t’ know what I’m going to bring,” he said. “I’m an all-around fighter. They don’t know how I’ll fight, I fight several different ways. Why say stuff like that? They don’t know how I’m going to come. They just know they need to be ready.”

In other words: “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I’m going to do.”

Then, if things go well, it’s on to the Terence Crawfords, Errol Spences and Manny Pacquiao’s of the world. At least that’s the plan.

“After I do my thing on Saturday – make a big statement in high fashion – it’s only up from there,” Ennis said. “… It’s on to the bigger, better, elite fighters, the Top 3 guys, maybe a world title shot by the end of the year.

“I believe my ranking will be up. … It will be the start of me becoming a pay-per-view star.”

[lawrence-related id=19180,16581,16573,13985,13904,15019]

Jaron Ennis vs. Sergey Lipinets: Date, time, how to watch, background

Jaron Ennis vs. Sergey Lipinets: Date, time, how to watch, background.

FIGHT WEEK

THE GIFTED Jaron Ennis faces his toughest test against Sergey Lipinets SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME.

***

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.

[lawrence-related id=16581]

Jaron Ennis vs. Sergey Lipinets: Date, time, how to watch, background

Jaron Ennis vs. Sergey Lipinets: Date, time, how to watch, background.

FIGHT WEEK

THE GIFTED Jaron Ennis faces his toughest test against Sergey Lipinets SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME.

***

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.

[lawrence-related id=16581]

Jaron Ennis-Chris van Heerden cut short as result of bad gash

The fight between Jaron Ennis and Chris van Heerden was ruled a no-decision after the latter was cut early and couldn’t continue.

Jaron Ennis didn’t get much of a chance to show off his ability.

Ennis, a fast-rising welterweight contender, was giving Chris van Heerden a shellacking in the opening round of their fight on the Emmanuel Rodriguez-Reymart Gaballo card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn, when disaster struck.

The fighters’ heads collided violently with about 20 seconds remaining in the round, causing a ghastly cut on van Heerden’s forehead.

The referee stopped the action, the ring doctor took a look and the fight was stopped immediately. The official time was 2:39. It was ruled a no-decision because the cut resulted from an accidental headbutt.

Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) looked formidable for 2½ minutes, fighting mostly from a southpaw stance. The uber-quick, powerful Philadelphian landed punishing shots from a variety of angles and to all legal targets.

Van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) tried to stand his ground and fight back but he seemed to be somewhat overwhelmed by Ennis’ attack.

Then came the end. Ennis missed a straight left with van Heerden’s back against the ropes. Van Heerden reacted by lunging forward in an attempt to throw a right hand.

That’s when their heads collided. They both brought a glove to their heads and were experienced pain. However, only Van Heerden was cut.

Ennis had hoped to make a big statement, which he believed would lead to a matchup with one of the big-name 147-pounders. Obviously, that could still happen.

However, no one was happy about the way the fight ended on Saturday.

 

Jaron Ennis-Chris van Heerden cut short as result of bad gash

The fight between Jaron Ennis and Chris van Heerden was ruled a no-decision after the latter was cut early and couldn’t continue.

Jaron Ennis didn’t get much of a chance to show off his ability.

Ennis, a fast-rising welterweight contender, was giving Chris van Heerden a shellacking in the opening round of their fight on the Emmanuel Rodriguez-Reymart Gaballo card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn, when disaster struck.

The fighters’ heads collided violently with about 20 seconds remaining in the round, causing a ghastly cut on van Heerden’s forehead.

The referee stopped the action, the ring doctor took a look and the fight was stopped immediately. The official time was 2:39. It was ruled a no-decision because the cut resulted from an accidental headbutt.

Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) looked formidable for 2½ minutes, fighting mostly from a southpaw stance. The uber-quick, powerful Philadelphian landed punishing shots from a variety of angles and to all legal targets.

Van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs) tried to stand his ground and fight back but he seemed to be somewhat overwhelmed by Ennis’ attack.

Then came the end. Ennis missed a straight left with van Heerden’s back against the ropes. Van Heerden reacted by lunging forward in an attempt to throw a right hand.

That’s when their heads collided. They both brought a glove to their heads and were experienced pain. However, only Van Heerden was cut.

Ennis had hoped to make a big statement, which he believed would lead to a matchup with one of the big-name 147-pounders. Obviously, that could still happen.

However, no one was happy about the way the fight ended on Saturday.

 

Jaron Ennis thinking big: ‘I want to be a legend’

Jaron Ennis, who fights Chris van Heerden on Saturday, says he wants to win titles in multiple divisions and become a ‘legend.’

Jaron Ennis says the right things.

“Boots” says he isn’t looking past his fight against Chris van Heerden Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. (Showtime). He says he’s patiently building his fan base and waiting for his turn to take on the elite welterweights.

At the same time, he acknowledges that big things seem to lie ahead. Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has a rare combination of ability and power, which has made him one of the brightest burgeoning stars.

“I feel like I’ve been ready for those guys since I was like 18-0,” he told Boxing Junkie, referring to the top 147-pounders. “I’ve been trying to get them. It’s been hard. I feel like I’m getting closer and closer.

“And after I make a big statement [on Saturday], I should be able to get fights against the big names.”

Juan Carlos Abreu was just another Jaron Ennis knockout victim. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Ennis, once a top amateur, reminds some of a young Roy Jones Jr. The Philadelphian has unusual quickness and athleticism – along with a less tangible flair – but also can end fights with a single punch. He has stopped his last 16 opponents, including a sixth-round knockout of Juan Carlos Abreu on Sept. 19.

And this is scary: He said he still isn’t turning his punches off, still not sitting down completely on his power shots. The knockouts just happen.

“I just go in there and have fun and try to be the best version of me,” he said. “I listen to what my dad [and trainer Derek Ennis Sr.] says, do the game plan. And nine out of 10 times it ends up being a knockout.”

Can he maintain the streak against van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs)?

Well, this a particularly interesting test for Ennis because one of those elite welterweights – Errol Spence Jr. – knocked out the South African in eight rounds in 2015. That’s only time the 33-year-old from Johannesburg was stopped.

Van Heerden has won five consecutive fights since against solid, but second-tier opposition. He probably isn’t a significant threat to a fighter of Ennis’ ability.

Still, Ennis says he’s motivated. He’s ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, meaning a title fight is within sight. He can’t afford a slip up.

“That’s definitely not an issue,” he said. “Every fight I feel like I’m hungrier and hungrier, better and better. I wan to continue performing on a high level, building my fan base. And I want to keep giving you guys a different look every fight.

“… And then, after I make a statement on Saturday, this is it. I’m at the door. In 2021 I’m knocking down the door.”

Yes, Ennis is thinking big.

His immediate goal is to win a 147-pound title and then unify. Then he wants to do the same at 154, then 160 and possibly beyond. He wants to be mentioned in the same sentence as his idols, Jones, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sweet Pea Whitaker.

In other words, he said, “I want to be a legend.”

[lawrence-related id=16452]

Jaron Ennis thinking big: ‘I want to be a legend’

Jaron Ennis, who fights Chris van Heerden on Saturday, says he wants to win titles in multiple divisions and become a ‘legend.’

Jaron Ennis says the right things.

“Boots” says he isn’t looking past his fight against Chris van Heerden Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. (Showtime). He says he’s patiently building his fan base and waiting for his turn to take on the elite welterweights.

At the same time, he acknowledges that big things seem to lie ahead. Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has a rare combination of ability and power, which has made him one of the brightest burgeoning stars.

“I feel like I’ve been ready for those guys since I was like 18-0,” he told Boxing Junkie, referring to the top 147-pounders. “I’ve been trying to get them. It’s been hard. I feel like I’m getting closer and closer.

“And after I make a big statement [on Saturday], I should be able to get fights against the big names.”

Juan Carlos Abreu was just another Jaron Ennis knockout victim. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Ennis, once a top amateur, reminds some of a young Roy Jones Jr. The Philadelphian has unusual quickness and athleticism – along with a less tangible flair – but also can end fights with a single punch. He has stopped his last 16 opponents, including a sixth-round knockout of Juan Carlos Abreu on Sept. 19.

And this is scary: He said he still isn’t turning his punches off, still not sitting down completely on his power shots. The knockouts just happen.

“I just go in there and have fun and try to be the best version of me,” he said. “I listen to what my dad [and trainer Derek Ennis Sr.] says, do the game plan. And nine out of 10 times it ends up being a knockout.”

Can he maintain the streak against van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs)?

Well, this a particularly interesting test for Ennis because one of those elite welterweights – Errol Spence Jr. – knocked out the South African in eight rounds in 2015. That’s only time the 33-year-old from Johannesburg was stopped.

Van Heerden has won five consecutive fights since against solid, but second-tier opposition. He probably isn’t a significant threat to a fighter of Ennis’ ability.

Still, Ennis says he’s motivated. He’s ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, meaning a title fight is within sight. He can’t afford a slip up.

“That’s definitely not an issue,” he said. “Every fight I feel like I’m hungrier and hungrier, better and better. I wan to continue performing on a high level, building my fan base. And I want to keep giving you guys a different look every fight.

“… And then, after I make a statement on Saturday, this is it. I’m at the door. In 2021 I’m knocking down the door.”

Yes, Ennis is thinking big.

His immediate goal is to win a 147-pound title and then unify. Then he wants to do the same at 154, then 160 and possibly beyond. He wants to be mentioned in the same sentence as his idols, Jones, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sweet Pea Whitaker.

In other words, he said, “I want to be a legend.”

[lawrence-related id=16452]

Good, bad, worse: Jaron Ennis gave a Jones-like performance

Jaron Ennis and Jose Pedraza gave strong performances on separate cards Saturday night.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

Juan Carlos Abreu couldn’t stay on his feet against fearsome Jaron Ennis. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Jaron Ennis doesn’t need any undue pressure at this stage of his career. He’s only 23. And I hesitate to read too much into his knockout victory over Juan Carlos Abreu on Saturday because the Dominican’s limitations are obvious.

Still, I have to say it: Ennis reminds me of one of his role models, Roy Jones Jr.

Ennis’ style is similar to Jones’ when the latter was at his peak, fighting patiently – with his hands down much of the time – and then exploding with unusual speed and power to overwhelm his opponents.

I didn’t particularly like when Jones’ hands were at his waist but he had the reflexes to get away with it when he was at his best. Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) will be OK for the time being.

Abreu, who came in three-plus pounds overweight, didn’t know what hit him. The look on his face the first few times he ate Ennis’ uber-quick, hard shots said to me, “What the hell is this?” The underdog was as durable as billed for four-plus rounds and then he became too familiar with the canvas.

Ennis, a fiery finisher, put Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs) down once in the fifth and twice more in the sixth – all three knockdowns coming within little more than a minute – to end the slaughter.

How dominating was Ennis? I don’t rely too heavily on CompuBox statistics but sometimes they provide a valuable perspective on certain fights. Consider the numbers in this one:

Ennis outlanded Abreu overall 117-23. That’s as one-sided as it gets. He landed 39.3% of his punches (298), Abreu 14.6% (157). Even more striking were the power punches: Ennis landed 92 of 165, 55.8%, which is off-the-charts accuracy.

And Ennis became the first to knock out Abreu, who went the distance in losses to Humberto Soto, Jamal James, Alex Martin, Egidijus Kavaliauskas and Alexander Besputin. That’s a big statement.

In other words, Ennis couldn’t have performed much better than he did on Saturday.

That doesn’t mean he’ll perform on that level when he steps up his opposition. He probably won’t dominate the top 154-pounders, gifted fighters like Jermell Charlo, Jeison Rosario, Erickson Lubin, Julian Williams and Tony Harrison.

Probably.

It remains to be seen whether he’s the next Jones, which is an extremely high bar. I believe he’s special, though. And I won’t be the least bit surprised if he ends becoming one of the top fighters in the world.

 

BAD

Jose Pedraza is on a roll after back to back victories over Mikkel LesPierre and Javier Molina. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

You have to feel for Javier Molina. The 2008 U.S. Olympian rebuilt a broken career and seemed to be on the verge of realizing his potential only to lose a wide decision and his momentum against Jose Pedraza on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Molina (22-3, 9 KOs) is only 30. I hope he learns from the setback and gets back to work. The talent is still there and he’s relatively fresh. It would be a shame for him to give up now.

Pedraza? Well, he’s just a bad man.

The former two-division titleholder from Puerto Rico seemed to be in decline when he was stopped by Gervonta Davis and lost decisions to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda in a span of seven fights between 2017 and last year.

Some thought he was finished as an elite fighter.

He obviously had a different perspective. He bounced back from the Zepeda loss to dominate both Mikkel LesPierre and Molina, thus repairing his credentials as a bona fide threat to the best 140-pounders.

Indeed, he looked terrific Saturday night in the MGM Grand “bubble,” outboxing and methodically wearing down a good all-around fighter in Molina. He looked like the young man who won major belts at 130 and 135 pounds.

Could Pedraza (28-3, 13 KOs) have similar success against, say, the winner of a projected title-unification fight between Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor? That’s hard to say. The 140-pound beltholders are among the best fighters in the world regardless of weight.

I wouldn’t put anything past the fighter we saw on Saturday, though. He looked that good.

“I do believe I’m ready for a world title opportunity,” he said after the Molina fight. “Whoever it happens to be between Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez, I want the winner of that fight.”

 

WORSE

Erickson Lubin (left) and Terrell Gausha didn’t get rolling until late in their fight. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

I don’t understand the way Erickson Lubin, Terrell Gausha and Tugstsogt Nyambayar fought Saturday night on Showtime.

Lubin, who fought Gausha in the main event, was the least egregious offender. He didn’t do much in the first seven rounds of the fight but he didn’t have to. He was winning. Then, when Gausha picked up his pace, so did Lubin.

That said, Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) had hoped to show the world that he belonged in the conversation with the best fighters in the deep 154-pound division. You must fight with more fire than he did to accomplish that.

Lubin emerged victorious but he didn’t make the statement he had hoped to make.

Gausha? I’m still scratching my head. He threw an average of 31 punches per round in the first seven rounds, landing 4.3 per stanza. In other words, he wasn’t there. And it’s difficult to win a 12-round fight when you arrive in Round 8.

The former Olympian was in a title eliminator. A victory would’ve set up an opportunity to realize a dream. Gausha (21-2-1, 10 KOs) didn’t fight like it, at least not until it was too late.

Nyambar, fighting for the first time since he lost to a wide decision to Gary Russell Jr., also had hoped to demonstrate that is among the best featherweights. And he looked the part early in the fight, putting Cobie Breedy down in each of the first two rounds.

Then the hard-punching Mongolian allowed himself to be outworked the rest of the way by a more determined fighter in Breedy, who won six of the final 10 rounds on two cards and nine of 10 on the third.

The final scores were 114-113 and 114-112 for Nyambayar and 115-111 for Breedy. One just scored the first round 10-9 for Nyambayar in spite of the knockdown.

Like Lubin, Nyambayar (12-1, 9 KOs) had his hand raised. That’s the objective. However, even in victory, his stock might’ve slipped.

I can’t get in the heads of the fighters. I don’t know why some of them fail to throw punches at a rate that puts them in position to win or look good regardless of the result. I suspect many of them, after watching the fight on video that night or the next day, say to themselves or those around them: “Damn, I wish I had been a little busier.”

[lawrence-related id=13897,13902,13904,13895]

[vertical-gallery id=13952]

Good, bad, worse: Jaron Ennis gave a Jones-like performance

Jaron Ennis and Jose Pedraza gave strong performances on separate cards Saturday night.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

Juan Carlos Abreu couldn’t stay on his feet against fearsome Jaron Ennis. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

Jaron Ennis doesn’t need any undue pressure at this stage of his career. He’s only 23. And I hesitate to read too much into his knockout victory over Juan Carlos Abreu on Saturday because the Dominican’s limitations are obvious.

Still, I have to say it: Ennis reminds me of one of his role models, Roy Jones Jr.

Ennis’ style is similar to Jones’ when the latter was at his peak, fighting patiently – with his hands down much of the time – and then exploding with unusual speed and power to overwhelm his opponents.

I didn’t particularly like when Jones’ hands were at his waist but he had the reflexes to get away with it when he was at his best. Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) will be OK for the time being.

Abreu, who came in three-plus pounds overweight, didn’t know what hit him. The look on his face the first few times he ate Ennis’ uber-quick, hard shots said to me, “What the hell is this?” The underdog was as durable as billed for four-plus rounds and then he became too familiar with the canvas.

Ennis, a fiery finisher, put Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs) down once in the fifth and twice more in the sixth – all three knockdowns coming within little more than a minute – to end the slaughter.

How dominating was Ennis? I don’t rely too heavily on CompuBox statistics but sometimes they provide a valuable perspective on certain fights. Consider the numbers in this one:

Ennis outlanded Abreu overall 117-23. That’s as one-sided as it gets. He landed 39.3% of his punches (298), Abreu 14.6% (157). Even more striking were the power punches: Ennis landed 92 of 165, 55.8%, which is off-the-charts accuracy.

And Ennis became the first to knock out Abreu, who went the distance in losses to Humberto Soto, Jamal James, Alex Martin, Egidijus Kavaliauskas and Alexander Besputin. That’s a big statement.

In other words, Ennis couldn’t have performed much better than he did on Saturday.

That doesn’t mean he’ll perform on that level when he steps up his opposition. He probably won’t dominate the top 154-pounders, gifted fighters like Jermell Charlo, Jeison Rosario, Erickson Lubin, Julian Williams and Tony Harrison.

Probably.

It remains to be seen whether he’s the next Jones, which is an extremely high bar. I believe he’s special, though. And I won’t be the least bit surprised if he ends becoming one of the top fighters in the world.

 

BAD

Jose Pedraza is on a roll after back to back victories over Mikkel LesPierre and Javier Molina. Mikey Williams / Top Rank

You have to feel for Javier Molina. The 2008 U.S. Olympian rebuilt a broken career and seemed to be on the verge of realizing his potential only to lose a wide decision and his momentum against Jose Pedraza on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Molina (22-3, 9 KOs) is only 30. I hope he learns from the setback and gets back to work. The talent is still there and he’s relatively fresh. It would be a shame for him to give up now.

Pedraza? Well, he’s just a bad man.

The former two-division titleholder from Puerto Rico seemed to be in decline when he was stopped by Gervonta Davis and lost decisions to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda in a span of seven fights between 2017 and last year.

Some thought he was finished as an elite fighter.

He obviously had a different perspective. He bounced back from the Zepeda loss to dominate both Mikkel LesPierre and Molina, thus repairing his credentials as a bona fide threat to the best 140-pounders.

Indeed, he looked terrific Saturday night in the MGM Grand “bubble,” outboxing and methodically wearing down a good all-around fighter in Molina. He looked like the young man who won major belts at 130 and 135 pounds.

Could Pedraza (28-3, 13 KOs) have similar success against, say, the winner of a projected title-unification fight between Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor? That’s hard to say. The 140-pound beltholders are among the best fighters in the world regardless of weight.

I wouldn’t put anything past the fighter we saw on Saturday, though. He looked that good.

“I do believe I’m ready for a world title opportunity,” he said after the Molina fight. “Whoever it happens to be between Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez, I want the winner of that fight.”

 

WORSE

Erickson Lubin (left) and Terrell Gausha didn’t get rolling until late in their fight. Amanda Westcott / Showtime

I don’t understand the way Erickson Lubin, Terrell Gausha and Tugstsogt Nyambayar fought Saturday night on Showtime.

Lubin, who fought Gausha in the main event, was the least egregious offender. He didn’t do much in the first seven rounds of the fight but he didn’t have to. He was winning. Then, when Gausha picked up his pace, so did Lubin.

That said, Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) had hoped to show the world that he belonged in the conversation with the best fighters in the deep 154-pound division. You must fight with more fire than he did to accomplish that.

Lubin emerged victorious but he didn’t make the statement he had hoped to make.

Gausha? I’m still scratching my head. He threw an average of 31 punches per round in the first seven rounds, landing 4.3 per stanza. In other words, he wasn’t there. And it’s difficult to win a 12-round fight when you arrive in Round 8.

The former Olympian was in a title eliminator. A victory would’ve set up an opportunity to realize a dream. Gausha (21-2-1, 10 KOs) didn’t fight like it, at least not until it was too late.

Nyambar, fighting for the first time since he lost to a wide decision to Gary Russell Jr., also had hoped to demonstrate that is among the best featherweights. And he looked the part early in the fight, putting Cobie Breedy down in each of the first two rounds.

Then the hard-punching Mongolian allowed himself to be outworked the rest of the way by a more determined fighter in Breedy, who won six of the final 10 rounds on two cards and nine of 10 on the third.

The final scores were 114-113 and 114-112 for Nyambayar and 115-111 for Breedy. One just scored the first round 10-9 for Nyambayar in spite of the knockdown.

Like Lubin, Nyambayar (12-1, 9 KOs) had his hand raised. That’s the objective. However, even in victory, his stock might’ve slipped.

I can’t get in the heads of the fighters. I don’t know why some of them fail to throw punches at a rate that puts them in position to win or look good regardless of the result. I suspect many of them, after watching the fight on video that night or the next day, say to themselves or those around them: “Damn, I wish I had been a little busier.”

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