“He’s really intelligent and intelligent,” Ennis said. “He plays when he wants and kills when he wants. That’s me. I’m the same type. Our style is fan-friendly.”

While Ennis and Whittaker may share an appreciation for entertaining audiences, their upcoming assignments come with very different challenges.

Whittaker (11-0-1 (8 KO)) will face Richard Rivera in his American debut on the undercard at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 29-year-old Olympic silver medalist has not yet faced a world-class opponent in his professional career. His recent wins over Benjamin Gavazi and Brian Suarez came against opponents who lacked the speed and technical ability to consistently cause him problems.

Even Liam Cameron, whose first fight with Whittaker ended in a controversial draw, wasn’t the type of graceful boxer who could make Whittaker chase him around the ring. The rematch allowed Whittaker to answer some questions, but it didn’t prove how well his style would hold up against elite airy heavyweights.

Meanwhile, Jaron faces a different kind of test against Xander Zayas.

Unlike the slower, high-pressure opponents against whom Ennis often looked spectacular, Zayas brings movement, discipline and a technically sound boxing style. The undefeated titleholder operates with a edged jab, uses angles effectively and rarely gives his opponents extended opportunities to showcase his offensive creativity.

This can make it much more hard for Boots to “have fun” in the ring.

Critics have long questioned the level of opposition Ennis faced throughout his career, arguing that the accolades surrounding him outweighed the quality of his resume. A dominant victory over Zayas would be one of the strongest responses to these concerns.

Whittaker mostly faced opponents who wanted to fight on his terms. Zayas are not built that way. The 23-year-old prefers to box with the jab, create angles and reset his opponents. For Ennis, this may mean fewer opportunities for entertainment and more emphasis on solving the puzzle in front of him.

If not, the conversation around Ennis may remain unchanged.

Whittaker was largely allowed to dictate the terms of his fights. On June 27, Ennis will be tasked with doing something more hard: imposing his style on an opponent whose game plan is based on denying that freedom.

Mike Coppinger reported that negotiations between the camps had intensified, contracts had been exchanged, and the probable date of the fight was September or October.

If the fight is finalized, it will be his first appearance since his controversial majority draw with Lamont Roach Jr. earlier this year. The result ended Davis’ long winning streak and sparked debate among fans and analysts, with many believing Roach had done enough to secure the victory.

Meanwhile, Schofield will get the biggest opportunity of his newborn career. The 23-year-old fighter set an undefeated record for the organization, constantly climbing the rankings, thanks to which he took first place in the WBA lightweight division. Although Schofield has faced criticism from some observers for not facing elite opponents, a fight with Gervonta would provide an immediate opportunity to test himself against one of boxing’s biggest attractions.

Davis (31-0-1 (29 KO)) remains one of the sport’s most recognizable stars and a pay-per-view headliner, despite questions surrounding his latest outing. Before the Roach fight, the Baltimore native recorded stoppage victories over Frank Martin and Ryan Garcia, cementing his reputation as one of boxing’s most perilous fighters.

Schofield (19-0 (13 KO)) has repeatedly expressed interest in fighting the division’s top fighters. A victory over Tank would immediately change the lightweight world and elevate him from promising contender to world champion.

Shakur Stevenson is on the cusp of being recognized as one of boxing’s greatest, and has risen higher in the rankings following the retirement of good friend Terence Crawford.

However, despite their relationship, there is one player who Stevenson believes could beat ‘Bud’ if they met in top form.

Crawford hung up his gloves after 42 fights and became the fifth world boxing champion in five divisions. legendary triumph over Canelo Alvarez in September.

This victory brought Crawford enormous recognition, forcing him to be compared to fighters considered among the best fighters in the sport’s long history.

Although talking to Agnew PodcastStevenson called the fight between Crawford and Floyd Mayweather Jr a fantastic one. as a “50/50” fight.

“It’s demanding to say on this one because they’re both different, so it’s demanding to even imagine who’s going to win. Now what I’m saying, I think Floyd faced a southpaw early in his career. I feel like ‘Bud’ will probably be a southpaw and that’s who he’s ever faced.” So that would probably play a role.

“But I’ve seen ‘Bud’ have a little trouble with guys like ‘Mean Machine’ [Egidijus Kavaliauskas]who was orthodox and [Yuriorkis] Gamboa won several rounds, so it’s 50/50. You just never know who’s going to come along at the right time and win that fight, so it’s demanding for me to even give an answer.

While Crawford’s undefeated record appears set in stone, Mayweather’s famed 50-fight winning streak could be in jeopardy if his disputed September rematch with Manny Pacquiao is a professional fight.