Bill Haney Claims Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis Missed His “Biggest Bag” by Avoiding Devin Haney at 147 Pounds, Choosing 154 Instead

Devin Haney’s dad, Bill Haney, says Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis missed out on getting the “Biggest bag” fighting Devin at 147 by choosing to move up to 154 without facing him. Bill states that Brian Norman Jr. and Teofimo Lopez couldn’t bring in the kind of money that Devin would have fighting Ennis.

Bill is talking about money, not talent. WBO welterweight champion Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) would be a nightmare for Ennis compared to Devin, who looked like a yo-yo against Ryan Garcia, up and down off the canvas repeatedly last year. Teofimo would be a difficult fight for Boots as well. It’s no wonder that he chose to move up to 154 rather than stay at 147, risking a loss.

Bill Haney Slams Ennis’s Choice

“Boots’ biggest bag was Devin at 147. That fight was on the table for Boots. I respect his move to 154, but let’s be real, Teofimo Lopez and Brian Norman didn’t bring enough to the table,” said Bill Haney on X, suggesting that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis made a career mistake by moving up to 154 without fighting Devin Haney at 147.

If Bill wanted Devin to fight Boots badly enough, he’d offer to have him come up to 154 to fight him. With Haney rehydrating to the mid-160s, he’s plenty big enough to move up to junior middleweight to face Ennis in that weight class if he wants that fight badly enough. It would be better for Devin to lose to Boots than it will to stay at 147 and get beaten by Richardson Hitchins.

Haney-Hitchins: Low Dough Fight

There won’t be a lot of dough for Haney if he fights Hitchins because he’s not popular and hasn’t beaten anyone notable. No, George Kambosos does NOT count, and neither does Liam Paro. Unless Turki Alalshikh takes an interest in financing the Haney vs. Hitchins fight, that fight isn’t worth taking for Devin. As such, Devin would be better off moving up to 154 to chase Ennis down.

Eddie Hearn on Ennis at 154

“It’s been a very difficult decision over the last month. Imagine what he’s going to do at 154,” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing about Jaron Ennis. “He said, ‘I’m not powerful like I should be. Watch me at 154,’” said Hearn about what Boots told him. “This guy is going to put the fear in everybody at 154. Not just at 154. At 160 as well over the next year or so. He’s a massive guy.”

All we know is Boots had a chance to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. last February, and didn’t take it. Then he had a shot at facing Teofimo Lopez, and didn’t pull the trigger on that fight either. He didn’t take the unification fight with Brian Norman Jr. What we’re looking at here is a fighter who finds reasons not to take tough challenges. Instead of Ennis taking those three killers, he chose to fight Eimantas Stanionis.

“Those extra seven pounds are going to be huge for his performance. So, back in August or September, and then we’re ready for everybody. Vergil Ortiz, Murtazaliev, Fundora, anyone you want. That Boots for me, 100% Jaron Ennis, will be unbeatable.”