Jaron Ennis successfully defended his IBF welterweight title for a second time, taking a points win over the spirited Ukrainian challenger, Karen Chukhadzhian in their rematch at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Ennis dropped Chukhadzhian in the fifth round, but was forced to settle for a wide unanimous decision victory.
The pair had met before, in January 2023, where Ennis (32-0, KO29) won all twelve rounds on all three scorecards to take the interim IBF title. ‘Boots’ then knocked out Roiman Villa in ten before being upgraded to full champion, where he made a first defence in July, forcing the tough David Avanesyan to retire after five rounds.
Chukhadzhian (24-2, KO13) earned a rematch by becoming the mandatory challenger with the IBF, with victory over Harry Scarff in May.
Their second meeting was a much more competitive affair, and the opening round saw both have their successes, the challenger momentarily buckling the knees of the home favourite with a left hook.
The Ukrainian also had a solid second, but Ennis warmed to the task, trapping his man in the corner and unloading in the third, before connecting with an uppercut in the fourth.
The 27-year-old then made a breakthrough in the fifth, an uppercut wobbling Chukhadzhian, before a follow-up attack forced the visitor to a knee.
The knockdown halted the 28-year-old’s momentum in the next few rounds with Ennis’ movement and combinations banking him rounds, and the championship rounds started badly for the man from Kiev, as he had a point taken away for excessive holding.
He continued to battle, and the penultimate frame saw signs of life, with the final round also an encouraging one as he let his hands go, landing with several power punches.
The effort was ultimately in vain though, as Ennis retained his belt by scores of 119-107, 117-109 and 116-110, with the American hinting at a move up in weight for his next outing.
Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that talks are ongoing for a February showdown with Vergil Ortiz Jr, which would see the Philadelphia man move up to 154lbs and likely relinquish his belt.
BOOTS DROPS CHUKHADZHIAN!!! 😳#EnnisChukhadzhian | #RodriguezGuevara | Exclusive deals LIVE on DAZN pic.twitter.com/syJGqHsOne
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 10, 2024
“My performance, it was ok,” Ennis told DAZN post-fight.
“I think it might be time to go to ’54.
“I felt good, but I feel like at ’54 I’m gonna be way better and my pop gonna be how it’s supposed to be.
“I’m getting older now. I’m 27. I’m gonna be 28 next year.”
Bam blasts out Guevara
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez took yet another impressive win, as he defended his WBC super flyweight title for the first time in his second spell as champion, with a dominant third round knockout of Pedro Guevara, who had never previously been stopped.
Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs) decked Guevara (42-5-1, 22 KOs) in the third with a sharp left hook, and although the Mexican beat the count, a vicious right uppercut on the resumption had the challenger flat on his back, and the fight was over.
Ford returns to winning ways
Ray Ford lost his WBA featherweight world title against Nick Ball last time out, but he impressively moved up to super featherweight here, dropping Orlando Gonzalez twice on route to a landslide win on the cards.
Ford (16-1-1, 8 KOs) floored Gonzalez (23-3, 13 KOs) in the second round with a right hook, and the same shot scored him another knockdown in the eighth, as he went on to win by two scores of 100-88 and one tally of 99-89.
IT’S SAVAGE TIME‼️#EnnisChukhadzhian | #RodriguezGuevara | Exclusive deals LIVE on DAZN pic.twitter.com/NTEZQcIau4
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 10, 2024
Coe stunned by Gallegos
Light heavyweight prospect, Khalil Coe (9-1-1, 7 KOs) suffered a shock first professional loss, as he was dropped four times before being halted in the ninth round in his meeting with Manuel Gallegos (21-2-1, 18 KOs).
Remaining Undercard
The sole eight rounder was at middleweight, and Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (17-1, 12 KOs) returned after a stoppage defeat to Hamzah Sheeraz in June to stop Gian Garrido (11-2, 8 KOs) in five rounds.
Ismail Muhammad (6-0, 3 KOs) won all four rounds at welterweight against Nelson Morales (5-19, 2 KOs), and Dennis Thompson (3-0, 2 KOs) was a second round stoppage winner in his super bantamweight contest against Edgar Ortiz Jr (8-6-2, 4 KOs).
Dennis Thompson gets Philly its first win of the night with this flurry of punches 😤#EnnisChukhadzhian | TONIGHT | #RodriguezGuevara | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/uaw83BTYA7
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 9, 2024
Debutant Zaquin Moses (1-0) took victory on the scorecards against Michael Ruiz (1-5) at super featherweight.
