Rising Without A Rival: Boots Ennis’ Challenge For Greatness

Jaron “Boots” Ennis may have come along too late to have the opportunity to cement his name in boxing history among the all time greats.

To be listed in the ‘A’ Tier of boxing’s historic elites, among names like Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roy Jones Jr., Marvin Hagler, to name a few, a fighter must possess the otherworldly talents of an elite, but also be fortunate enough to have rivals of his era that, through combat, can confirm and validate his greatness.

Consider the rivals these legends had:

Ali had Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman.

Sugar Ray Robinson had Jake LaMotta, Kid Gavilan, and Rocky Graziano.

Roy Jones Jr. had James Toney and Bernard Hopkins.

Marvin Hagler had Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Sugar Ray Leonard.

In this era, Terence Crawford was able to validate his elite skills against his welterweight rival, Errol Spence.

However, Boots may never get that chance.

Boots Ennis possesses the skills of an ‘A’ Tier elite. His blend of speed, power, and boxing IQ is a rare commodity in the sport. His jab, a versatile weapon, can control opponents or set up devastating power shots. His counterpunching, precision, and power in both hands mark him as a threat to any in the ring. Roy Jones himself acknowledged Ennis’ comprehensive skill set.

“As far as the skill goes, he got everything.”

The problem for Boots Ennis will come not from his skillset, but from the lack of a potential rival.

Vergil Ortiz, the power punching 2019 Ring Magazine Prospect of the Year, once looked as if he would fit the bill. Ortiz was in the same division as Boots. He also showed a high boxing skill level, not just punishing power.

As Terence Crawford and Errol Spence circled each other for years, building the anticipation of who was the better fighter, it looked as if Ennis and Ortiz would do the same. And as Crawford and Spence finally answered that question, it was anticipated that Ennis and Ortiz would one day answer the question as well.

However, due to a blood disorder, rhabdomyolysis, and an inability to make the welterweight limit of 147 lbs, Vergil Ortiz was forced to vacate the welterweight division.

Now, who is left for Ennis to prove himself against?

Terence Crawford, the top welterweight and pound for pound king, would be the logical answer. Yet, in today’s boxing landscape, where business often trumps legacy, Crawford sees little to gain in a bout with Ennis:

“Fighting Boots is a lose-lose situation. I win, they gonna say, ‘Ah, well, he was young, he wasn’t ready. He was talented, he was skillful, but you got the experience over him. You got so much more than this kid who never been tested before.’ Me fighting Boots would be like, ‘OK, well, you beat Boots.’ It’s not a megafight…I’m looking for big challenges. You know, I’m trying to go up in weight and fight Charlo because that’s something that’s history in the making, there’s a lot at stake. There’s nothing really at stake with fighting Boots. I’m at the tail-end of my career, I’m trying to make things make sense.”

With Crawford an unlikely dance partner, there aren’t many quality fighters left at 147 lbs.

Spence is likely moving up to 154 lbs.

Eimantas Stanionis, the undefeated Lithuanian fighter, would be a nice matchup, however, Boots would be so heavily favored over Stanionis that on paper it would look like a mismatch. Not the kind of opponent legacies are made of.

In ESPN and Sporting News’ Top 25 Under 25 for 2023, neither publication had a welterweight in their rankings. This means that in addition to none of the old guard fighting him, there’s no up and coming challenger at 147 lbs for Ennis either.

While his talent is undeniable and his potential for the Hall of Fame intact, the absence of a great rival could relegate him to a lower tier of historical greatness, a fate not befitting his evident skill and prowess in the ring.

In the end, Ennis’ journey may be a tale of what could have been, a narrative of a boxer with all the makings of an all-time great, yet without the stage and the opponents to fully realize that potential.