Boxing

JARON ENNIS is quickly punching his way to the top of the boxing world as one of the hottest prospects in the sport. Only 24, the welterweight contender has 28 wins, with 26 knockouts and boasts a dazzling, switch-hitting style yet to be figured out.
Jaron Ennis is quickly punching his way to the top of the boxing worldCredit: ESTHER LIN/SHOWTIME
The American is one of the hottest prospects in the sportCredit: ESTHER LIN/SHOWTIME
After just five years as a professional, already Ennis has put the game on notice and won praise from all corners, including boxing royalty.
But success in the fight game is nothing new for the Philadelphian nicknamed ‘Boots’, having watched brothers Derek and Farah campaign as pros.
So there is no threat the widespread hype and plaudits coming his way will become overwhelming.
Ennis tells SunSport: “Everything is all the same to me, there’s no pressure. 
“I’ve been around the game since I was born, basically. I’ve been in the game 24 years. 
“I had two brothers that were professional boxers, so I was able to see them coming up, fighting on Showtime, ESPN, and stuff like that. 
“So this has all been normal to me.”

Ennis, trained by his dad Derrick Sr, has a beautiful blend of speed, timing and power – in both hands from each stance.
And it has led to comparisons to some of boxing’s best ever, including Roy Jones Jr and Floyd Mayweather.
Ennis reveals: “I’ve got my own style, but people always say like Roy Jones, Pernell Whittaker mixed together. Some say Roy and Floyd. 
“Now I’m starting to here Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. There’s a lot of different combinations people are putting together.
“They’re great names – but I feel like I got my own style, my own swag in the fight game. A lot of these guys don’t do it like me.” 
Ennis is rated in the top six with each governing body and as high as three with the IBF.
His undeniable skill and undefeated record justifies not only his ranking but also the approval he has received from pundits and fans alike.
There was none higher than the comments made by retired 50-0 icon Mayweather, who said of Ennis: “I feel like he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves.
Jaron Ennis is a 28-0 welterweightCredit: SHOWTIME
Jaron Ennis pictured in training campCredit: SHOWTIME
The unbeaten star has won praise from Floyd MayweatherCredit: SHOWTIME
“We talk about a lot of fighters at welterweight, but we don’t talk about him. I think that he’s gonna be a problem, he’s a problem right now.”
In reaction, Ennis says: “I appreciate all the love and recognition Floyd gave me. 
“When he was talking about me in the interview, I appreciate it, and it gave me more motivation to keep grinding to the top.”
For all the talent and promise the young American has shown, Ennis only has former light-welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets, 32, as a standout on his record.
A cut to Chris van Heerden, 34, in round one of their December 2020 fight also left him with a no-contest on his resume.
For Ennis, he is in need of a coming out party – a win that rubber stamps his right to a title shot – and he knows just the opponent for it.
He says: “I feel like Keith Thurman is a good name for me, because he’s been in there with everybody. 
“So if I can’t get them world champions or the No1 spot, I feel like Keith Thurman would be a great name to beat. 
Jaron Ennis wants to fight Keith ThurmanCredit: Getty
Keith Thurman has not returned since a 2019 loss to Manny PacquiaoCredit: AP:Associated Press
“He’s been world champion and beat top guys.”
Thurman, 32, has beaten the likes of Shawn Porter, 34, and Danny Garcia, 33, during his reign as unified champion.
But he has not yet returned since defeat to Manny Pacquaio, 42, in July 2019 and also claims to be unaware of who Ennis is.
But Ennis is sure that is by design, not ignorance.
He explains: “I heard him say that. How he don’t know me, but everybody else knows me?
“Spence, Porter, Crawford, all those other guys know me, but he don’t?  What is he, out the loop or something?
“At the end of the day, I feel like he’s just respecting my skills, like he don’t wanna know me basically. He’s trying to beat around the bush.” 
Ennis is in the fortunate position of having not one but two elite fighters in his weight division who are considered to be in the top ten in the world.
Jaron Ennis has 26 knockout winsCredit: SHOWTIME
The welterweight has been likened to Roy Jones JrCredit: SHOWTIME
But he is waiting for Terence Crawford, 34 and Errol Spence Jr, 31, to finally settle who is the welterweight No1, before swooping in.
Ennis says: “It’s a great thing to have two pound-for-pound guys in the same weight as me. 
“Hopefully they fight each other, then I can come in there and fight one of those guys, or both.”
Challenging WBO champion Crawford, who fights Porter on November 20, or WBC and IBF holder Spence is well within Ennis’ sights.
And if he had it his way, it would be sooner than most predict.
Ennis says: “Honestly, I feel like it could happen next. But, realistically probably one more fight, one or two more fights.” 
The American most recently knocked out Puerto Rican Thomas Dulorme, 31, in stunning fashion in under two minutes.
And already Ennis is back in the gym as he continues his path to welterweight glory.
Jaron Ennis knocked out Thomas Dulorme in his last fightCredit: ESTHER LIN/SHOWTIME
Thomas Dulorme was knocked out in round oneCredit: ESTHER LIN/SHOWTIME More

EMOTIONAL new footage has emerged of Canelo Alvarez praising Caleb Plant and his ‘beautiful family’ after the pair fought earlier this month. Canelo knocked out Plant in the eleventh round after a build-up packed full with bad blood.
Canelo showed love to Plant after a heated build-up to the fight
The Mexican superstar showed his class with his hands and with his words
With Plant also apologising to Canelo for his pre-fight comments
As the pair embraced emotionally after the fight

But all of that was forgotten after the fight as the pair embraced in the ring, with Canelo referring to Plant as ‘family’.
The Mexican superstar complimented his opponent by saying: “You’re a good fighter.”
To which a devastated Plant replied: “I’m sad.”
But Canelo insisted: “Don’t be ashamed you are a great fighter man.”
He also went on to apologise for the part he played in the pre-fight beef between the two men.
Canelo told Plant: “And I’m sorry for everything, but at the end of the day we are men, and we are human.
“I’m sorry for everything.”
Plant then apologised himself to Canelo after offending him in the build-up to the fight by calling the Mexican’s mother a ‘motherf*****’.

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He said: “When I said ‘motherf*****’ I would never talk about your mother because I don’t have a mother. My mum died.”
And Canelo reassured him: “You have a really good and beautiful family. You are my family.”
Canelo offered the kind words to Plant after the American has previously suffered family heartbreak on more than one occasion.
The IBF champion has overcome the tragic death of baby daughter Alia, and later lost his mother Beth, who was shot dead by police.
Tensions however still flared between the pair in the run-up to the fight.
The two fighters squared up in a tense confrontation during a press conference before things exploded into a bloody brawl.
But now the fighters have had it out in the ring their beef appears to be a thing of the past.
Canelo vs Plant – Round by Round More

EDDIE HEARN said Canelo Alvarez’s ‘biggest money fight’ is a trilogy bout against bitter rival Gennady Golovkin. Canelo recently knocked out American Caleb Plant to add the IBF title which was missing from his super-middleweight collection and earned£30million.
Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez drew in 2017Credit: AP:Associated Press
Canelo Alvarez beat Gennady Golovkin in their 2018 rematchCredit: Getty
Now as undisputed champion, talk has turned to what could be next for the Mexican superstar, who has won titles in FOUR divisions.
But promoter Hearn believes it is old ground which brings Canelo in the most money.
He told iFL TV: “I think the GGG fight is going to be such a big fight, and there’s going to be an announcement about him very soon.
“He’s got a big unification fight coming up. The GGG verses Canelo fight is a massive fight and probably the biggest money fight out there for Canelo.
“But he’s got enough money. It’s not just about who pays the most money, and it’s got to be a fight that motivates him.”
Canelo, 31, was fortunate to draw with bitter rival Golovkin, 39, in 2017 and won the rematch in contentious fashion a year later.

Both sold over 1million pay-per-views buys and earned Canelo up to £40m each.
He has since moved up in weight, even winning the WBO light-heavyweight title in 2019 against Sergey Kovalev, 39.
But Canelo has since settled back down at super-middleweight, while GGG stayed at middleweight.
The Kazakh danger man unifies his IBF title against Ryota Murata’s WBA version in Japan on December 29.
Canelo in the past has warned Golovkin would need to come up to super-middleweight if they are to complete their trilogy series.
But Hearn can see the pound-for-pound No1 going back up to light-heavyweight to challenge heavy-hitters Dmitry Bivol, 30, and Artur Beterbiev, 36.
He said: “I think he can become undisputed at 175 as well.
“You’ve got Dimitry Bivol; I think he’d be a favourite in that fight, Joe Smith Jr and Beterbiev is an absolute all-out war.
The GGG verses Canelo fight is a massive fight and probably the biggest money fight out there for Canelo.Eddie Hearn
“Maybe he decides, but with Canelo, it’s sort of about having a plan for a new challenge, and maybe Golovkin presents that, or maybe it doesn’t, or maybe he wants to crack on to 175.
“Maybe he wants to fight [David] Benavidez. He’ll decide.”
Canelo is a free agent and returned to Showtime pay-per-view to beat Plant, 29, having fought on DAZN for his six prior bouts.
Three of them were on a short-term deal with Hearn, who will now be one of several offering his services to promote Alvarez’s return next year.
He said: “We’re going to go to him and say, ‘Here are our three or four options.’
“PBC is going to say, ‘Here are our three or four options,’ and somebody else is probably going to put three or four options out there.
“He’s going to look at the deal and decide which one he wants to do.”
Eddie Hearn has promoted Canelo Alvarez beforeCredit: PA More