Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis:
Ennis wins by TKO in 6th round
Raymond Ford vs. Thomas Mattice:
Ford wins by UD
Omari Jones vs. William Jackson:
Jones wins by KO in 1st round
Shakhram Giyasov vs. Franco Maximiliano Ocampo:
Giyasov wins by KO in 4th round
Zaquin Moses vs. Alex Pallette:
Moses wins by KO in 2nd round
Tahmir Smalls vs. Earl Bascome:
Smalls wins by KO in 1st round
Arturo Cardenas vs. Edgar Joe Cortes:
Cardenas wins by TKO in 8th round
Francisco Rodriguez vs. Naheem Parker:
Rodriguez wins by RTD in 3rd round
Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis have finalized their welterweight title unification bout. The fight, which promoter Eddie Hearn has dubbed “#1 vs #2” in the 147-pound division, will air live on DAZN from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. For Ennis, this opportunity marks the first time he’ll unify since being upgraded to IBF champion in November 2023.
Though Ennis boasts an impressive unbeaten record, fans in social media argue he's looked ordinary in his last four bouts, including two somewhat underwhelming contests against Karen Chukhadzhian. With skeptics pointing to those fights as evidence of vulnerability, many believe Ennis must deliver a definitive performance on April 12 to prove he’s truly the best at welterweight.
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Stanionis, meanwhile, is coming off a solid unanimous decision win over Gabriel Maestre last May. He’s been inactive for stretches, but his defense and aggression have garnered praise from observers who feel he might pose a far tougher test than Ennis has faced so far. Hearn’s enthusiasm for this matchup suggests he believes Stanionis has the credibility to validate Ennis as either the top dog at 147 or expose any weaknesses in the Philadelphia native’s skill set.
"Boots" Ennis has been forthright about his ambitions to stay at welterweight until he collects all available titles. We wonder if he’d fare better by moving up to 154, but facing junior middleweights, where many fighters hit harder, presents its own risks. For now, Ennis is focused on staking a firm claim at 147, and he insists he feels "great" and is ready to "put on a show" for fans.
In the co-main event, Ray Ford (16-1-1, 8 KOs) and Thomas Mattice (22-4, 17 KOs) are set to meet in a compelling junior lightweight contest on the April 12 undercard of the welterweight unification bout between Jaron Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ford aims to build momentum following a rebound victory in his most recent outing after suffering the first loss of his career. He looks at this bout as a step toward bigger opportunities, saying, “I’m excited to fight in Atlantic City, it’s pretty much a home fight for me so I’m going to do what I do best and put on a show. I know a lot of guys turned me down and it’s been hard to get someone to take the fight. Credit to Mattice for stepping up but there's nobody at 130 pounds getting in my way.”
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Mattice has faced his share of challenges, including a recent bout that ended prematurely because of a cut caused by a headbutt. Still, he believes a win over the rising Ford will showcase the kind of resolve that has defined his career so far. “I’m super excited about the opportunity,” he said. “I know buddy, but not personally, but anyone that knows me, knows I’ll scrap with whoever whenever. I’m looking forward to an action-packed fight with my hands being raised at the end #andthenew.”
Another intriguing showdown on the same card features unbeaten Arturo Cardenas (15-0-1, 8 KOs) in a junior featherweight contest. Cardenas has claimed narrow decisions in his last few outings and now finds himself on a high-profile stage. “I’m really excited to show the fans in Atlantic City what I can do in the ring,” he said. “It’s going to be a great night of boxing and I plan on stealing the show.”
Fight card:
▪️Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis, 12 rounds, for Ennis’ IBF and Stanionis’ WBA welterweight titles
▪️Raymond Ford vs. Thomas Mattice, 10 rounds, for the WBA Continental North America super featherweight title
▪️Omari Jones vs. William Jackson, 6 rounds, super welterweight
▪️Shakhram Giyasov vs. Franco Maximiliano Ocampo, 10 rounds, super welterweight
Prelims (Starts at 5 pm ET):
▪️Zaquin Moses vs. Alex Pallette, 4 rounds, super featherweight
▪️Tahmir Smalls vs. Earl Bascome, 8 rounds, welterweight
▪️Arturo Cardenas vs. Edgar Joe Cortes, 8 rounds, super bantamweight
▪️Francisco Rodriguez vs. Naheem Parker, 6 rounds, lightweight
Watch Prelims live here:
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