by Declan Taylor

JARON ENNIS might have thought he would never box Karen Chukhadzhian again given how comfortably he beat him when they met back in January 2023. But the IBF had other ideas and reinstated the Ukrainian as mandatory for Boots’ IBF welterweight title. Now, ahead of their not-exactly-anticipated rematch, we take a look at both boxers’ best wins.

JARON ENNIS 3 BEST WINS

Ennis (L) dismantled Avanesyan (R).
Mandatory Credit: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom.

Vs David Avanesyan, July 13, 2024, Philadelphia – TKO 5

This had been billed as something of an acid test for the undefeated Ennis but it looked like nothing of the sort given how the home favourite dismantled the Armenian. On his big Philadelphia homecoming, in front of 14,000 fans at the Wells Fargo Centre, Ennis took control almost instantly and landed routinely to both head and body. He got his breakthrough when a right hand dropped Avanesyan in the fifth and the challenger did not emerge at the start of the sixth.

Vs Romain Villa, July 8, 2023, Atlantic City – KO 12

Colombian Romain Villa came into this one off the back of a big win over the 24-0 Rashidi Ellis in what was his first 12-round fight six months earlier. However, his second one did not go so well with Boots in fine form. This had been something of a masterclass from the Philly star before he closed the show with a big cross-hook-cross combination from his southpaw stance which sent Villa crumbling to the canvas.

Vs Thomas Dulorme, October 30, 2021, Las Vegas – KO 1

Boots had already racked up 10 first round knockouts in his career when he faced tough veteran Thomas Dulorme – but he made it 11 in emphatic fashion at the Mandalay Bay. With only a minute gone, Ennis knocked Dulorme down for the first time with a right hand behind the ear. The Puerto Rican clambered to his feet and managed to hang tough for another 30 seconds before Ennis crashed home a huge left hand which down his opponent for a second time. Referee Mike Ortega counted Dulorme out with the official time of the stoppage coming at 1:49 of the opener.

KAREN CHUKHADZHIAN 3 BEST WINS

Vs Pietro Rossetti, October 28, 2023, Munich – TKO 9

Italian Rossetti, known as ‘The Butcher’, was on a 10-fight winning streak when he arrived in Munich but Chukhudzhian made mincemeat of him inside nine. He was simply too fast and too skilful against the visitor, who he made look crude at times with a series of check hooks. In fact the beating became so one-sided that referee Leszek Jankowiak stepped in to call a halt after 1:11 of the ninth.

Vs Blake Minto, July 2, 2022, Erding – TKO 6

With a perfect record in his eight 10-rounders, Chukhudzhian made light work of his 12-round debut by forcing Blake Minto into a sixth-round retirement at the Stadtwerke Arena in Erding, Germany. It was the first defence of the IBF inter-continental belt he had won six months previous and the nature of this win was enough to secure him his initial shot at Ennis, which took place in the following January.

Vs Harry Scarff, May 17, 2024, Rothenbaum – UD 12

When Englishman ‘Horrible’ Harry Scarff beat Ekow Essuman to become the British and Commonwealth welterweight champion, he emerged as a viable opponent for Chukhudzhian, who was still attempting to plot a path back towards world title level in the wake of his defeat to Ennis. And, at Hotel Elysee, Rothenbaum, Chukhudzhian boxed maturely to nullify the in-form visitor and take a 116-112 decision on all three scorecards. And it proved to be a pivotal win as, within months, the IBF ordered Ennis to face him again.