Bernard Hopkins wants to see Jaron Ennis tested by another of the world's best welterweights.
“Boots” Ennis was recently described by Matchroom's new promoter Eddie Hearn as “the best fighter to come out of Philadelphia since Bernard Hopkins.” This will be his first fight in his hometown since 2018, when he first defended his IBF title against Canada's Cody Crowley, 31.
Ennis has long been seen as a viable successor to Terrence Crawford at the top of the 147-pound division, and although he has won all 31 of his bouts, including 28 by knockout, he has yet to fight another elite. Never before.
Even though Hopkins recognizes the 26-year-old's huge potential, he is eager to see him fight his best to see just how great that potential can become. There is.
“He impressed me,” said Hopkins, the greatest middleweight of all time. “He's a guy that you and I both know and I need to see him impress me. I need to see him get in the ring with the top two or three of the top guys in that division. And if you do, I'll be very impressed.
“I'm impressed that he has the skills, but I'm not surprised. He's from Philadelphia. But in order to impress me, you have to beat the people that impress me. Hmm, that's not easy, because I know for a fact that there are levels to everything and let's wait and see when that level comes. Because I can't wait to see who he's going to fight against me and you so I can say, “Wow,'' or that was a great performance, or “He failed the test.''
“You know the name of that weight class. Who would you like to see him fight?”
BoxingScene responded by suggesting either Crawford, Errol Spence or Eimantas Stanionis, to which Hopkins replied: That's the beginning. I'm not the smartest person in the world, so I asked you, but I'd like to meet the guy whose name you just mentioned.
“I kind of understand journalism. People ask questions because they want to know your answers. But it's a wasted conversation, because the man he had to go through to become who he is. Like, we know who he has to fight and hopefully defeat in order to be able to say he's a guy who has to go through this. It's a game of who can kill the lion in charge.”
Ennis has expressed a desire to compete regularly in what is historically one of America's premier fighting cities, and Hearn and the fighter's father and trainer, Derek “Bosie” Ennis, He talks about how important it can be to play in Philadelphia.
“If you're the best in one category, you're the best in that category,” said Hopkins of Golden Boy Promotions. “If he fights here, if he's from here, obviously it'll be a boost, but it's not like the East Coast was like the Mike Tyson era or the Bernard Hopkins era or the Meldrick Taylor era. It's not like I'm back on track.''
“What it says there is boxing on the East Coast because East Coast fighters are from the East Coast and demand to fight on the East Coast, but that’s not true for Atlantic City in New York City. Is it a blow? What about other big cities? yes. But similarly, the two fighters fighting Saturday night are not from the East Coast. They're not from here. They may not even have had an amateur match here before.
“But the same energy, the same desire to come see it, buy it, get autographs…Boxing doesn't matter where you live, what state you live in. Boxing is boxing. People… They'll take a bus. They'll take a plane and go see a good fight.”