Jaron “Boots” Ennis announced his arrival at 154 pounds with a dominant first-round TKO over Uisma Lima on Oct. 11 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The fight ended at 1:53 of the opening round, giving Ennis a statement victory in his super welterweight debut.
The hometown crowd roared as Ennis made his walk to the ring, signaling a new chapter in his career. The bout headlined a DAZN broadcast that featured several rising prospects on the undercard.
Ennis took control immediately. He switched from orthodox to southpaw early in the round and landed a sharp right-left-right combination that sent Lima to the canvas. After the count, he stayed aggressive, forcing a second knockdown less than two minutes into the fight. Lima got back up, but Ennis trapped him against the ropes and unleashed a flurry that forced the referee to step in.
The win improved Ennis to 35–0 with 31 knockouts and earned him the interim WBA super welterweight title. Lima entered with a 14–2 record but couldn’t handle Ennis’ speed and power at the new weight.
“I did what I had to do,” Ennis said in the postfight interview. “I’m here at 154, made a statement. Bring them names.”
“Anybody at 154, I’m belt chasing. This is my division, 154 is mine,” Ennis said. “They said I was doing this, doing that. I’m here now.”
Ennis emphasized that he felt strong in his new division and wanted to make an immediate impact. He identified early openings and capitalized, delivering the kind of performance he hoped would set the tone for his run at super welterweight.
The victory places Ennis in one of boxing’s deepest divisions. Potential future opponents include Vergil Ortiz Jr., ranked №1 by The Ring Magazine, and WBC champion Sebastian Fundora. Unification fights with Israil Madrimov or IBF titleholder Bakhram Murtazaliev could follow, while rising stars like Xander Zayas and Tim Tszyu, as well as former undisputed champion Jermell Charlo, add more intrigue.
Ennis made it clear he’s targeting the top names. His performance signaled that his campaign at 154 pounds has begun, and the division’s elite are officially on notice.
