By Ian S Palmer
Original article; https://www.sportsbetlistings.com/boxing/jaron-ennis-vs-david-avensyan-betting-odds-and-prediction/23945/
Unbeaten Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania defends his IBF Welterweight Title this Saturday, July 13th when he clashes with former WBA Welterweight Champion David Avanesyan of Russia. The 12-rounder from Ennis’ hometown can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Ennis last fought in July, 2023 when he stopped Roiman Villa in the 10th round after pitching a shutout over Karen Chukhadzhian to win the interim belt six months earlier. Avanesyan, who fights out of England, last boxed in December when he stopped Serge Ambomo after four rounds.
Ennis just turned 27 years old and enters the ring with a perfect mark of 31-0 with 28 Ko’s and obviously has a lot of pop in his punches with a current knockout ratio of 90.3 per cent. The only three men to take him the distance were Eddie Diaz who went four rounds in 2016; James Winchester, who took him six rounds the following year and Karen Chukhadzhian who went 12 rounds in January, 2023. Ennis stands 5-feet-10-inches tall with a 74-inch wingspan and has boxed just 101 rounds in his 31 fights since making his pro debut back in 2016.
He started boxing at the age of 15 and enjoyed a superb amateur career with a reported mark of 58-3. Ennis was a 2014 US National Golden Gloves Silver medalist in Las Vegas; a 2015 USA Youth National Championships Gold medalist in Reno; a 2015 US National Golden Gloves Tournament Gold medalist in Las Vegas; a 2015 US Olympic Trials Qualifier Gold medalist in Baltimore and a 2015 US Olympic Trials participant in Reno.
In 2018 he won the vacant WBC (USNBC) Silver Welterweight Title with a third-round stoppage over Armando Alvarez. As a pro, Ennis has also beaten the likes of Thomas Dulorme, Sergey Lipinets, Elvin Perez, James Winchester, Wilfredo Acuna, Mike Arnaoutis, and Juan Carlos Abreu. His bout with Chris van Heerden in 2020 was called a no-decision when Van Heerden was cut in the first round from an accidental clash of heads.
The 35-year-old Avanesyan enters the ring with a record of 30-4-1 with 18 Ko’s and has boxed 214 rounds since turning pro in 2009. Avanesyan won the interim WBA belt against Charlie Navarro by unanimous decision in 2015 and then defended it against Shane Mosley by unanimous decision before losing it to Lamont Peterson by unanimous decision in his next outing. His first loss came at the hands of Andrey Klimov by a six-round unanimous decision in his second pro fight in 2009 and he fought to a 12-round draw with Aslanbek Kozaev in 2013.
After losing to Peterson he was stopped in the sixth round in 2018 by Egidijus Kavaliauskas in a shot at the NABF Welterweight Crown. His fourth defeat was to Terence Crawford by sixth-round KO in 2022 in a shot at the WBO Welterweight Crown. Since turning pro he’s also won the Russia Welterweight, interim WBC Youth Intercontinental, WBC Asian Boxing Council and WBC Baltic Welterweight Title. Avanesyan won the European Title by stopping Kerman Lejerraga in the ninth round in 2019 and has defended it five times.
These include a first-round stoppage of Lejerraga in their rematch six months later, a sixth-round stoppage of Josh Kelly in 2021 and a second-round TKO over Liam Taylor in 2021. In fact, he won six fights in a row by stoppage before running into Crawford. Avanesyan has good speed, but he’s not known as a heavy hitter overall as 60 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage. He’s a pretty good body puncher who likes to throw solid combinations rather than one shot at a time. Avanesyan stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 68.5-inch reach so gives up two inches in height and 5.5-inches in reach to Ennis.
Prediction…
Ennis has plenty of boxing skills and power and is generally considered to be one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world, but has had a hard-time getting a marquess opponent. Avenesyan is eight years older and on the downside of his career. He always gives it 100 per cent though and although I’m expecting him to fall to Ennis, he should put up a pretty good fight for as long as it lasts.
