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Jaron 'Boots' Ennis opens up on his return against David Avanesyan, his Philadelphia homecoming... and how rapping has become his 'therapy'
Jaron 'Boots' Ennis has discovered a couple of ways to navigate his way through the fog. Sometimes he will pound the roads. 'If I need to clear my mind, I go running,' Ennis says. Sometimes he will hit the studio.
Rapping has become a refuge over the past 12 months, as the welterweight has waited and waited. Boxing's warped logic means that Ennis became the IBF world champion in the last year. Even without fighting. Even while his career stalled.
The unbeaten American, one of the sport's most exciting talents, returns to the ring on Saturday night. His first title defense - against David Avanesyan comes more than a year after his last outing.
He was only the interim belt holder when he beat Roiman Villa in July 2023. Since then, Boots has been elevated to full champion. He has become a more accomplished wordsmith, too. Ennis cringes listening back to his old tapes.
'It's crazy... I was super bad,' he says. 'I'm way better now.' He's had a lot of to practice. 'I just go to the studio for fun - just just to clear my mind... it's like therapy,' Ennis explains.
Jaron 'Boots' Ennis, one of boxing's biggest talents, returns to the ring on Saturday night
The Philadelphia fighter has won all 31 of his professional bouts, including 28 by knockout
'One of my buddies a while ago, I went to the studio with him. He used to rap and he said: "Yo, get on this song." And I wound up getting on the song with him. And ever since then I just been rapping.'
He tends to freestyle about his life and loves. 'Boxing, cars, houses, money, females - anything' he laughs. 'I used to write stuff down. But it sounds better when you go off the top... when you write, it just sounds like you're reading.'
So when is the album dropping? 'I got some things,' Ennis says. 'But I'm not putting them out!'
Thankfully the 27-year-old has no such reservations about putting on a show inside the ring. Ennis sat down with Mail Sport shortly after signing a new promotional deal with Matchroom. 'It makes for a power duo.' he says.
Eddie Hearn sees superstar power in the Philadelphia fighter, who has won all 31 of his professional bouts but hasn't been home since 2018.
On Saturday night, Boots is back on the ground in Philly. He takes on Avanesyan, a seasoned operator who stepped in for a second world title shot after Ennis' original opponent, Cody Crowley, pulled out through injury.
The hope is that this marks the first page of a new chapter in Ennis' career. This time last year, he stood on the cusp of a mega fight.
'Boots' Ennis takes on David Avanesyan at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday
After Terence Crawford pounded Errol Smith to become the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era, Boots was made mandatory challenger.
It was a tantalizing matchup between one of boxing's pound-for-pound kings and his heir apparent. It was a fight that would have thrust Boots into the spotlight. The timing could hardly have been better, either.
Spence-Crawford came hot on the heels of Tank Davis' fight with Ryan Garcia and it seemed that, after years of sliding into the shadows, boxing in America had reached the crest of a wave. An era of big fights and bubbling rivalries lingered on the horizon.
Instead? None of Crawford, Spence or Ennis has fought since, while Garcia's recent fight with Devin Haney - another American sensation - left a stain on the sport.
A year on, Crawford has moved up to super welterweight and Ennis has been left without an obvious dance partner. That must sting?
'There's nobody to blame,' he insists. 'It's just boxing. It's the business - people trying to figure out the right things to do, to make the right fights.'
'I love fighting, I love beating people up, and knocking them out,' the American told Mail Sport
Boots hoped to have at least one more belt by now. He has had to fill his time in other ways. Such as basketball, rapping, and spending time with family. 'I don't really do too much. I just train and chill,' Ennis says.
A bit of frustration is not going to knock Ennis off course. 'By 2025, I'll be undisputed in the welterweight division,' he says. 'Then I'll go to 154lbs and do the same.'
Who he has to beat to get there is of little importance.
'I don't care, I just want to fight,' Ennis says. 'I love fighting, I love beating people up, and knocking them out.'
Ennis has been built for this life by his father and trainer, Bozy, and his older brothers. Both Derek and Farah Ennis climbed boxing's greasy pole and left sizeable Boots to fill. 'They created this monster,' Ennis says.
On the drive from Philadelphia to Brooklyn, where he met Mail Sport, Boots sat with his brothers and watched some of their old bouts.
Ennis sat down with Mail Sport shortly after signing a new promotional deal with Matchroom
'They used to fight at this spot called the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia,' he explains. 'It's like a little small venue, but they used to have that place going crazy. And when I was little, I used to say: 'I can't wait to fight here, I can't wait to fight in Philly.'
On Saturday night, his wish will be granted once more. 'It's going to be something something big, something immaculate.'
Ennis wants to leave his mark back home - he helps train young fighters, he has spoken to a couple of schools. For the past few years, he has supported a kid named Jax whose life depends on a bone marrow transplant.
'It's very urgent,' Boots says. 'I talk to him on FaceTime... I'm trying to do my best to get him out there as much as possible, to see if we can find a match.'
The goal is to have Jax at a fight one day; on Saturday night, more than 10,000 fans are expected at Wells Fargo Center for a night to celebrate this fighter - and the city that made him.
'The grit, the grind and always finding a way to win,' Ennis says. 'That's Philadelphia for you right there.'