Saturday, April 12

ATLANTIC CITY – The relative desolation of midweek Atlantic City was finally replaced on Saturday by a hive of activity led by those present for Jaron Ennis-Eimantas Stanionis, and by the time they left the Boardwalk Hall having witnessed “Boots” Ennis’ finest performance, the anticipation that could be detected felt entirely apt.

Staff for the promoters Matchroom, media and undercard fighters were difficult to avoid at Caesar’s Hotel and Casino, and not one of those BoxingScene spoke to was expecting anything less than a good fight; most were also expecting a convincing performance from Ennis.

Ennis was said to have spent the entire day by himself in his room, having prayed with those close to him on Friday evening – and prayed for Stanionis and his wife Emily, who are expecting their first baby. He’d also spoken to those around him about wanting to hurt Stanionis and make a statement as a consequence of the criticism of his performance in his rematch with Karen Chukhadzhian that left him determined to prove a point, and had spent much of fight day watching his previous fights. 

Perhaps inevitably, he was also said to have been relishing the fact that he wasn’t having to weigh in for a second time under the rules of the IBF, and though he apparently had no desire to weigh himself on fight day, he was expected to be well over 160lbs. 

When Shakur Stevenson’s cousin Zaquin Moses was in the process of stopping Alex Pallette, Stevenson and Raymond Ford were supporting him from ringside. Richardson Hitchins could be seen shortly before that; the picture that was painted, particularly on the undercard of a promotion led by Ennis, was that regardless of Matchroom’s traditions in the UK and desire to expand into Australia, the east coast of the US may prove their most potent territory of all. 

“Boots just walked into the building – Boots!” was shouted out over the tannoy at the same time as footage of his arrival was shown on the big screens. The same footage had appeared on social media almost an hour earlier, however, and given the recognition of how accessible social media is to everyone at occasions of that nature, it seemed strange that anyone would attempt to mislead.

Lithuania’s Stanionis, not unlike other Eastern European fighters in New Jersey, was well supported on fight night. So, too, was Uzbekistan’s Shakhram Giyasov, whose stoppage of Franco Ocampo weeks after the death of his daughter ought to prove as memorable as what Ennis did next.

The “walk-up” culture of ticket buyers in the US meant that when BoxingScene enquired about the attendance after Raymond Ford’s victory over Thomas Mattice in the chief support, tickets were still selling. Eddie Hearn had predicted a crowd of 9,500, but between 8,000 and 9,000 seemed a more accurate estimate. 

To be around Ennis and his father and trainer Derek “Bozy” is to detect that both are warm, friendly and courteous. There was little purposefully sinister about his ring walk, and yet the very transparent sense of relaxation and confidence they and those around them demonstrated as they smiled and casually made their way from the dressing room would have been intimidating for almost any other opponent, and also would have been for Stanionis, were he not similarly stoic.   

What followed was not only the very good fight that so many had come to expect, but a performance and statement certain to prove among the most memorable of what is increasingly likely to be Ennis’ decorated career. He had promised that he would not only impress but make Stanionis look one-dimensional, and he did so convincingly. 

Above all else while in the ring and trading punches he was remarkably relaxed and enjoying himself. With the very best fighters there are evenings on which it seems unfair on their opponents that they are sharing the ring with them, because the very best have an answer to everything and appear capable of delivering even more, even though their opponents are having to give their all simply to survive. Ennis, as is also witnessed with the very best, was able to shrug off the occasional mistakes he made. He is certain to be one of the world’s leading fighters throughout the coming years.