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Jaron Ennis wants nothing more than to test himself against boxing’s elite welterweights.
Unfortunately for Ennis, he is instead training for a fight against unknown Ukrainian contender Karen Chukhadzhian. Philadelphia’s Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs, 1 NC) and Chukhadzhian (21-1, 11 KOs) will fight for the IBF interim 147-pound championship on the Gervonta Davis-Hector Luis Garcia undercard January 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
FanDuel sportsbook lists Ennis as a 45-1 favorite to beat Chukhadzhian in their 12-round fight, yet those overwhelming odds haven’t altered Ennis’ mindset at all as one of boxing’s most talented fighters grinds toward securing a legitimate title shot.
“I never underestimate anybody,” Ennis told BoxingScene.com. “Like I always said before – I don’t care if I’m fighting a little kid, my cousin, my aunt, I’m gonna train like it’s a world title fight. Every fight that I have, I’m gonna train like it’s a world title fight. I don’t care who they put in front of me. It don’t matter who they put in front of me, I’m gonna train hard, do what I’m supposed to do, you know, treat it like a world title fight.
“That’s why I’m always prepared for anything that happens or anything that goes on in that ring. So, it don’t matter how they come or what size, how big they are. It don’t matter what it is, I’m always gonna be ready. I’m always gonna be focused and always treat every fight that I have like a world title fight.”
The 25-year-old Ennis is the top-ranked mandatory challenger for Errol Spence Jr.’s IBF welterweight title. Spence (28-0, 22 KOs), of DeSoto, Texas, hasn’t been forced by the IBF to satisfy that obligation, which prompted Ennis’ handlers to petition the New Jersey-based governing organization to sanction an interim championship match.
The 26-year-old Chukhadzhian is ranked fourth by the IBF and was the leading available contender to face Ennis next. The second spot in the IBF’s rankings is vacant and third-rated Vergil Ortiz Jr. (19-0, 19 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas, is likely to challenge Lithuania’s Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC) next for his WBA world welterweight title.
When asked if Chukhadzhian could last longer than Canadian contender Custio Clayton (19-1-1, 12 KOs), whom Ennis knocked out in the second round of his last fight, Ennis answered diplomatically.
“We gonna have to see,” Ennis said. “You know, I’m pretty sure he got that European style. He probably got good boxing ability, so we’re gonna see. But I don’t know. We’ll see when I hit him.”
Ennis-Chukhadzhian is the co-feature of Showtime’s four-fight pay-per-view telecast (9 p.m. ET; $74.99). Baltimore’s Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) will defend his WBA world lightweight title against the Dominican Republic’s Garcia (16-0, 10 KOs, 3 NC) in the 12-round main event.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.