Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis says he’s going to show the fans “The new ‘Boots’” in his debut at 154 against Uisma Lima this Saturday, October 11, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom)
The New Boots Arrives
Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs) believes he’s going to be stronger at 154 than he was when he was fighting at 147, and having to take off massive amounts of weight. However, this week, he’s looked just as emaciated getting down to the 154-lb weight limit for Friday’s weigh-in as he did when he was campaigning at welterweight.
Boots’ Statement Mission
“I’m glad to be able to fight a top 10 guy at 154. He’s very confident. Like he said, he’s a road warrior. He’s been beating some of these guys. I’m glad to have a confident guy in front of me. I’m going to show the world the new ‘Boots’ at 154,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to Ring Magazine, discussing his fight against Uisma Lima this Saturday.
While Lima is technically a top 10 contender at junior middleweight, he lacks the resume to suggest that he belongs there. He hasn’t beaten any top 15-level contenders during his
“I’m staying focused on the task at hand. I’m trying to get this money and trying to make a statement at 154. Then we can talk about these other guys after that,” said Ennis when asked if fans are going to see him fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. in 2026.
Critics Still Skeptical
Ennis should have overruled his promoter, Eddie Hearn’s decision, when he chose Uisama Lima for his debut at 154. There are a lot of fighters in the weight class that he could have fought that he’d been the favorite to beat, and the fans would give him credit.
These are the fighters that fans want to see Ennis fight:
Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Terence Crawford
Sebastian Fundora
Xander Zayas
Jesus Ramos Jr.
Erickson Lubin
Serhii Bohachuk
Israil Madrimov
Keith Thurman
Abass Baraou
Tim Tszyu
The Weight Bully Debate
Considering how drained ‘Boots’ Ennis has looked this week, the chances of him staying around the 154 division long enough to fight even four of those above fighters are slim. He’s already too big for the division, which says a lot about his time at 147.
It cements the argument that some fans have that ‘Boots’ was a weight bully when he fought at welterweight.
By Sean Jones — Fight Game Analyst, Chronicling Boxing Since 2016.
Last Updated on 10/09/2025
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