Jaron “Boots” Ennis has made his intentions at junior middleweight clear. After stopping Xander Zayas to capture the WBA and WBO titles, the Philadelphia native told the division’s remaining champions to keep their belts warm.
“My message to them is keep my belt warm for right now cuz I will be coming to collect them very soon,” Ennis said to YSM Sports Media regarding WBC champion Sebastian Fundora and IBF champion Josh Kelly.
Ennis sits two victories away from becoming the undisputed 154-pound champion. The schedule inside the division may prove the biggest obstacle.
Fundora already has a mandatory title defense scheduled against Ermal Hadribeaj on October 17, taking him out of the picture for the immediate future. That leaves Kelly as Ennis’ lone realistic unification option before the end of 2026.
Kelly absorbed considerable facial damage in his recent title defense, and his recovery will determine how soon he can return to training. If the injury delays his next camp, Ennis may have to accept a non-title fight or remain inactive until another championship opportunity becomes available.
The Philadelphia fighter remains open to any path forward.
“Whoever, whatever belt comes first, whoever is willing to step in the ring with me and take that risk, their belt will be coming back to Philadelphia with me,” Ennis said.
Those comments reinforce that Ennis is chasing championships rather than a particular opponent. He has made his goal clear, but reaching it may take patience. Fundora already has mandatory business to handle, while Kelly’s recovery remains the biggest variable.
Unless Kelly is ready before the end of the year, Ennis may have to wait longer than expected before getting another chance to add to his collection.
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Last Updated on 2026/08/03 at 9:12 PM
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