Eddie Hearn claims Matchroom has released Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis from his contract, but Hearn says they plan to keep IBF welterweight champion Ennis (32-0, 29 KOs) for the rest of his career and would never release him in a ‘million years’.
An announcement for Boots’ next fight in November could come this Saturday or early next week, with Hearn stating he is in talks with IBF mandatory Karen Chukhadzhian’s management about arranging the fight, which he hopes will take place in Philadelphia.
This week, a tweet emerged about Matchroom’s plans to fire Ennis. Hearn says several media outlets have asked him if the tweet is true, and he says it’s not.
Boxing fans were left wondering whether Hearn still wanted to promote Boots after failing to secure a unification fight for him against WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. Hearn could have sealed the deal had he increased his offer from $1.7 million to $2.2 million, which Team Norman was asking for, but he chose not to.
Some fans felt that Hearn’s reluctance to invest $500,000 into Ennis’ career was a sign that he was not as keen to promote him over other fighters with less physical talent, such as Shakur Stevenson, who showered him with praise and reportedly paid him a fortune for his canceled fight with Joe Cordina.
When Hearn lost a bid to Karen Chukhadzhian for IBF mandatory Boots Ennis last week, it was further evidence that he is not in love with Jaron and has shown his disinterest in his promotion by acting stingy.
Hearn says the plan is for Boots Ennis to stay at 147 to try to collect all the belts. That’s where Ennis plans to stay, rather than moving up to 154, which is filled apex predators it would be risky for him.
“It’s just the most bizarre world we live in. Whatever you read on Twitter, 70%, maybe 80% of it is complete crap,” said Eddie Hearn iFL TVdenying that she is parting ways with Jaron “Boots” Ennis and parting ways with Matchroom.
“People think it’s true. We signed one of the biggest talents in boxing in the United States, Boots. I couldn’t be more proud to represent him. We just knocked out 15,000 people in Philadelphia. On what planet would we release Boots from his contract? No, never in a million years,” Hearn said.
It would be crazy for Hearn to get rid of Boots Ennis so quickly, considering he showered him with compliments from head to toe after recently signing him for Matchroom. Boots has fought just once since signing with Hearn, stopping veteran David Avanesyan in the fifth round on July 13.
After all the compliments Hearn showered on Boots, it was disappointing that he picked him against the 35-year-old Avanesyan rather than Brian Norman, Terence Crawford, Mario Barrios or Eimantas Stanionis.
If Hearn proves stingy when it comes to raising money to lure top fighters to fight Boots, then what is the point of keeping him in the locker room?
It makes no sense. It’s like buying an costly Ferrari and then keeping it in the garage 90% of the time, except for Sunday drives. If Hearn is going to make Boots a star, he’ll have to invest in his career. He may hate the idea now, but he’ll be glad he did later when it rains money every time Boots fights.
“That’s not what they meant by the tweet. They said, ‘Matchroom wants to fire Boots Ennis.’ No. We have a great relationship with Boots and Bozy. We definitely won’t fire him,” Hearn said of Boots. “His next fight is in November and it will be announced on Saturday, but probably early next week.”
I don’t know why Hearn is being so coy about who Boots Ennis will fight in November, given that it’s obviously going to be Karen Chukhadzhian, the same guy he beat by unanimous decision over 12 rounds last January in Washington.
“We got it [Karen] The Chukhadzhian fight, which is a rematch,” Hearn said. “We didn’t expect it, but we see the future at 147 pounds. We want to make sure he can get those unifications. There’s no guarantee that Norman, Stanionis and Barrios will fight Boots, but I’d like to try.”
If Hearn thinks Brian Norman Jr. will be worth less next year than the $2.2 million he’s asking for this time around, he’s kidding himself. If anything, Norman Jr. will want more money, and Hearn will be kicking himself for not agreeing to $2.2 million. Norman will defend his WBO title against Derrieck Cuevas on November 8 on ESPN+, and if he looks like gold in that fight, his value will raise and Hearn will have a much tougher fight ahead of him.
“There’s no rush in terms of weight to move up to 154, but that’s on the table as well,” Hearn continued of Boots’ options. “We’re in talks, but we’re definitely not releasing Boots from his contract. We hope to represent Boots for the rest of his career.”
I can’t blame Hearn for not wanting Boots Ennis to move up to 154 because that would be threatening for him, especially considering his lack of defense. They hit too challenging for a fighter who gets tagged as often as Ennis usually does in his fights.
If Ennis moves up to 154, there is a good chance the predators in that division will make life complex for him. Ennis would have to change his fighting style to become more of a boxer in order to succeed as a junior middleweight.
“We want to continue the success we had in Philadelphia,” Hearn said when asked if he would like Boots to defend Karen in Germany, given that Matchroom lost a bid for the prize pool to Chukhadzhian’s promoters. “So we’ll see. We’re also talking to Chukhadzhian’s team. We’ll see what happens.”
WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
Deontay Wilder has not retired from boxing at the age of 39, and the former WBC heavyweight champion has not issued any official statement.
World Boxing News can confirm that reports circulating on social media are false and originated from a imitation account on Up-to-date Year’s Day. As of January 2, 2025, WBN has had no word from Wilder that he plans to hang up his gloves.
As usual, WBN also asked Shelly Finkel for comment. However, Finkel has repeatedly said in the past that Wilder is not retiring. This case seems to be no different.
The last time Wilder spoke publicly was while promoting a mental health app, the Brown Bomber was unveiling plans to return to the sport.
He said: “The push-up protocol has been disabled. Strengthen your body and train your mind; no paid subscription required! It’s not about money. It’s about a mission to strengthen mindsets and improve mental health for all. To everyone: operate your services and achieve greatness.
“There will be people who tell you, ‘No, you can’t.’ [No] People trying to stop you or putting up stop signs. [No] People who want to bring you down and keep you down. But you can’t give up.
“No matter how many times you fall, no matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s a resilient mind, a confident mind, a powerful mind that gets back up and keeps moving forward to achieve your greatness.
“Apply your service. Achieve your greatness,” he added.
Deontay Wilder could announce his retirement tomorrow if he changed his mind, but at the time of the report, there was no truth to it.
When Zhilei Zhang knocked him out on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the formidable top-flight contender needed time to assess his situation. WBN understands that Wilder has received offers, including contact from Francis Ngannou, regarding a possible boxing match with the MMA star.
The Wilder vs. Ngannou fight only makes sense for an American his age. Many voluntary positions [of which Wilder is WBC number 13] are occupied by threatening opponents who would start each clash as favorites.
Meanwhile, the Ngannou fight is winnable with less risk and more rewards, meaning Wilder can still earn a significant payday before hanging up his gloves for good.
Rising Irish boxing star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KO), the current World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight continental champion, had to withdraw from his scheduled December “stay busy” fight due to a minor injury but now is preparing to fight his biggest rival in what may be the most anticipated Irish boxing match in history.
The All-Ireland fight between Donovan, who fights in Limerick and trains in Dublin, and Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (20-0, 11 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is scheduled for March 1. “Point of Pride” will headline the Matchroom Boxing card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN from the SES Arena as part of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title eliminator. Just two fights away, Donovan could win a world title if he defeats Crocker as the IBF mandatory challenger.
“There is something different about a good Irish fighter and I believe I will be next,” Donovan declared. “I think turning pro at 19 and now 25 has required a lot of life changes since I turned pro. What matters most is what I learned in the gym, because it was the ups and downs in life – being a husband and father, losing loved ones – that helped me improve. I improved as a person, which helped me become a better fighter.”
A true fighter from the past, Donovan is currently rated by three of the four major sanctioning bodies: WBA No. 5, IBF No. 6 and World Boxing Council No. 14. He has dreamed of being a world champion since he was seven years senior.
“I’m in an amazing position, so I thank God for that and my team, Andy Lee (head coach/co-manager) and (Up-to-date York lawyer) Keith Sullivan (co-manager),” Donovan noted. “It’s great to be ranked so highly at this stage of my career, but I’m where I need to be. To be ranked so high on three major sanctioning bodies is great. I know I won’t stop until I become world champion.
“I’m always at the gym thinking about the next challenge. I say it’s time. I love what I do. I am very grateful to God for being in this situation. I believe in God’s plan for me to become world champion.”
“It’s definitely going to be an explosive fight,” commented Up-to-date York attorney Keith Sullivan, who co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Paddy’s head trainer. “Two tough, resilient Irishmen who have a lot to prove to the world. We were worried about the injury, but we are sure it will not be a problem during the March 1 battle. Paddy is locked down and training difficult under the watchful eye of coach Andy Lee.
Donovan has dedicated several of his recent fights to Pieta, using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity, which provides mental health services across Ireland. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, at 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm, as well as support for those grieving as a result of suicide.
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