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Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis was flattered by the recent recognition he received from boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather, the five-division world champion and recent Hall of Fame inductee, made some remarks about Ennis a few months ago in which he praised the Philadelphia welterweight. Many consider Ennis to be a rising star in the sport.
Ennis, 24, is coming off a swift second-round stoppage of Custio Clayton in May at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on the undercard of the Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano 154-pound undisputed title rematch. Ennis made a name for himself last year with a pair of dominant wins over contenders Sergey Lipinets and Thomas Dulorme.
His latest feat caused Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, to recount a conversation he had with Mayweather in which the famed boxer spoke enthusiastically of the young contender.
“I can recall – it was a little while ago – and I got a phone call,” Ellerbe told FightHype.com. “Floyd was like ‘Who the f— is this Boots guy? That mother f—– can fight his a– off.’
“Floyd called me – and I’m not going to say the timing for when it was – but he just watched the fight, and he was like, ‘Who the f— is this guy, Boots Ennis?’ I said, ‘Floyd, I’ve been telling you about him.’”
Asked recently what he made of Mayweather’s praise, Ennis expressed only gratitude.
“That was dope,” Ennis told FightHype.com. “Floyd is one of the greats. I appreciate the love. He been showing a lot of love lately. Past couple of years.
“It’s dope to have one of the greats talking about me, asking me who I am and stuff like that. Nothing but love. I appreciate it.”
Ennis, the top rated contender in the IBF, has been vocal about wanting a title shot. In order to win one, he will likely need to face either WBO titlist Terence Crawford or IBF, WBA, and WBC champion Errol Spence Jr. Crawford and Spence have been drumming up interest in their “super fight,” which could take place later this year. Ennis believes the fight will happen, but if it doesn’t, he would presumably be next in line to face Spence as a mandatory.
“I think it’s gonna happen,” Ennis said of Spence-Crawford. “If not, no problem. I’m here. I gotta eat, I’m coming.”