Josh Kelly has agreed terms for the three belt unification Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Eddie Hearn want. A date remains outstanding, but Kelly’s trainer Adam Booth indicates that the financial negotiations are settled on his side, removing one obstacle to putting the IBF champion in with Ennis.
For Boots, this is the route toward collecting another belt at 154 pounds. For Kelly, it means risking his title against a puncher who will test whether his movement and reflexes hold up under sustained pressure.
“We’ve agreed all the terms,” Booth told Tris Dixon, in comments shared by EverythingBoxing. “And apparently, from what I’ve been told, so has Boots. We’re just waiting for the date.”
Booth’s confirmation is firm about Kelly’s position. His information about Ennis comes secondhand, leaving the official announcement outstanding. State Farm Arena in Atlanta was previously reported as the expected venue, with late November or December the target window.
The attraction for Ennis and Hearn is obvious. Kelly brings the IBF belt, giving the WBA and WBO champion an opportunity to leave with three titles. That makes this a valuable fight for Boots even while fans continue waiting for him to face Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Kelly has a more difficult job than simply making Ennis miss for a few rounds. His movement must create opportunities to score and get clear. If he spends long stretches retreating, he gives Boots time to close the distance and work the body.
That is where the fight becomes interesting. Kelly’s loose, reactive style depends on having space and reading the punches coming at him. Ennis can threaten him with combinations rather than single shots, forcing Kelly to make several defensive decisions in quick succession.
Agreeing terms puts Kelly closer to the biggest test of his reign. It also puts Ennis and Hearn closer to getting exactly the unification they have been pursuing.
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