Promoter Eddie Hearn is close to announcing a replacement for Jaron 'Boots' Ennis who will defend his IBF welterweight title on July 13 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Boot Ennis' previous opponent, Cody Crowley, pulled out of the fight yesterday due to an eye problem, and Hearn was left scrambling to find a replacement for the July 13 fight.
Hearn says the card still takes place on July 13th, and he has the following three opponents looking to face Boot Ennis on that possible date:
- Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela: A respectable contender with #13 IBF and a record of 28-3-1, 17 KO. Gollaz lost to Montana Love in 2022 and is on a three-fight winning streak against second division opposition. Not a great place obviously, with his loss to Love, but decent.
- Shakhram Giyasov: He is ranked #15 in the IBF but is unranked during his six year professional career. He is a 2016 Olympian, with his best win coming against veteran Pablo Cesar Cano.
- David Avanesyan: Casual boxing fans may have only heard of Avanesyan and know him since his sixth round knockout loss to Terence Crawford in 2022. The problem with using Avanesyan is that he will be out of work for two years to start the war.
While none of the top three are great, they are tied with Cody Crowley in terms of talent and name recognition among fans.
Hearn's Statement on the Replacement Search
“At the moment, it's almost time for us to announce the player who will fill his place. Of course, i [July 13th] the show will go on. There will be a new opponent from the top 15 in the rankings,” said promoter Eddie Hearn on iFL TV about his approach to finding a replacement for IBF welterweight champion Jaron 'Boots' Ennis to defend his title on July 13, in Philadelphia. .
Hearn is in a tough spot right now, looking for a replacement for Boots Ennis on short notice with just one month to prepare for the fight.
The IBF Top 15 is very small considering the fighters who will be able to fight the Boots immediately. The most recognizable names on the list will come out of defeat, and will not be able to fight Ennis in July.
“We want to make sure that we are able to mark those mandatory obligations [with the IBF]and we're expecting a big fight, and I think there will be an announcement tonight,” Hearn continued about who will replace Boot Ennis.
It would be nice if Boot Ennis could satisfy his IBF obligations with one of the July 13 replacements, but it's unclear if the International Boxing Federation will go along with Hearn's idea.
The last thing Hearn and Boot want is to reschedule Crowley, a fighter who isn't well known in the US public, and it will be a fight that won't generate much fanfare. Plus, Boots doesn't need another fight with Crowley to get over his eye problems.
“We have to go down in the ratings now and decide the best fight for him. I love the Gollaz fight [Gabriel Valenzuela]. I think that's a good fight. Shakhram Giyasov. Avanesyan is a good fight,” Hearn said of the potential for the Ennis fight on July 13.
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